Do the Prime Minister and ministers keep their positions during an election period?

Yes, the prime minister and ministers keep their positions during an election period.

When the election result is known, if a new government is elected the Governor-General will commission – formally appoint – a new prime minister and ministers. If the government is re-elected, the current prime minister and ministers are re-commissioned by the Governor-General.

When the Governor-General closes the Australian Parliament for a federal election, the government enters a caretaker period. The caretaker period lasts until the Governor-General commissions a government after election results are confirmed. During this period, the government continues its regular administrative work to keep the country running but does not make any major decisions or changes without talking to the opposition first.