Rachel Fieldhouse
Travel Trouble

“I have not had a day off”: Anthony Albanese hits back at critics

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has hit back at critics claiming he is spending too much time overseas, asserting that he hasn’t “had a day off in a very long period of time”.

Several opposition MPs have raised concerns about Mr Albanese’s travel itinerary since he took over the top job in May.

The Prime Minister was flying to Tokyo for the Quad Security Meeting just hours later, and in the weeks since has made his first official state visit to Indonesia and embarked on visits across Europe, including the NATO summit, a meeting with French President Emmanual Macron, and a stop in Ukraine to meet with Ukrainian President Volodymr Zelenskyy.

Shadow Immigration Minister Dan Tehan has described this slew of trips as “concerning”.

“What we’re seeing from Mr Albanese is very much a focus on everything international and we’re starting to see serious drift when it comes to incredibly important domestic issues, like energy, like skills shortages, like these floods we’re now confronting on the eastern seaboard,” the Victorian MP said on Monday.

However, Mr Albanese has rejected the claims during an impromptu press conference on his way back from Europe.

“I have attended the Quad leaders meeting the day after [being sworn in after the election]. That wasn’t a decision of mine. That was a decision of the former prime minister to hold the election on May 21,” Mr Albanese said.

“I attended the NATO summit. It was important that Australia be represented there, it was important that we deal with the relationship with France and Europe, and I believe my visit to Ukraine was important to show solidarity.

“We can’t separate international events from the impact on Australia and Australians, and those people might like to say which of the events I’ve attended on behalf of Australia that I shouldn’t have attended.”

He dismissed claims Labor had been too harsh on Scott Morrison for being slow to arrive in flood-affected areas.

“I have not had a day off in a very long period of time,” he said.

“If people want to argue that I’m not working hard then they can argue that case.”

Despite speaking with NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet about the floods on July 4 - two days after the heavy rain began - Nationals Leader David Littleproud and shadow treasurer Angus Taylor have both called Mr Albanese out for the time it took him to discuss the floods.

“It was flooding for 48 hours and [the prime minister] has only just picked up the phone to Dominic Perrottet to ask if he needs a hand,” Mr Taylor told 2GB on Monday.

“I think we want to be fair and equitable on this but you can’t have your cake and eat it too,” Mr Littleproud told Today. 

This criticism comes after Mr Albanese tweeted on Monday afternoon that he was “under radio silence” during his trip to the Ukraine over the weekend for security reasons, and that his “first actions” after leaving the war-torn country were briefings with Mr Perrottet and federal emergency minister, Murray Watt.

Mr Perrottet has also defended the Prime Minister, telling reporters on Tuesday that Mr Albanese called him “as soon as he could”.

“I won’t go into where he was, from an operational perspective, but he called me yesterday as soon as he could,” Mr Perrottet said.

“He’s overseas on work that’s important for Australia.”

Mr Albanese met with Mr Perrottet, Mr Watt, and Steph Cooke, the NSW Minister for Emergency Services and Flood Resilience for a briefing by NSW SES Commissioner Carlene York on Wednesday morning, before visiting flood-affected areas of Hawkesbury, NSW with Mr Perrottet.

Image: @AlboMP (Twitter)

Tags:
Travel Trouble, Anthony Albanese, Politics, Australia, Floods, Criticism