Prime Minister Anthony Albanese used his latest National Press Club appearance to expose the fact Peter Dutton won’t even front up to such a forum. Photo: Michelle Kroll.
When Anthony Albanese fronted up to the National Press Club on Friday (24 January), he was doing something Peter Dutton won’t do.
The Prime Minister gave his 10th Press Club speech as Labor leader yet the Opposition Leader won’t do one at all, even though he has a standing invitation from the club.
The reason?
An appearance at the Press Club isn’t only an opportunity to deliver a half-hour speech and pitch your wares to the nation – guests must follow up their addresses by fielding questions from the media for another half-hour.
And it’s not any old media; it’s the tough nuts of the Canberra Press Gallery and national press.
A National Press Club appearance is not an easy gig and only the brave at heart dare step up on that podium for a nationally televised address and Q&A session.
Mr Dutton might be good with the three-word slogans and sensationalist grabs, but he doesn’t appear to have that bravery required for the Press Club.
He can’t use the excuse of a biased media, either – reporters from Coalition-friendly news organisations form part of the crew eager to ask questions.
So when Mr Albanese was asked on Friday if he was a weak leader, the PM had the perfect response.
“I tell you what weakness is: weakness is not having the guts to come to the National Press Club,” he said.
“Weakness is holding one press conference at a quarter to two, before Question Time begins at two, over the last six months and not facing the Parliament House Press Gallery.
“Weakness is just saying no to everything before you even see the detail.
“What’s tough is coming here, fronting up as I did last year saying that we have changed our mind on tax cuts. Fessing up, making it very clear it wasn’t what we said we would do.”
And when asked about the controversy over the Australia Day date, which Mr Dutton continues to suggest means some sort of “shame of your country”, the PM delivered again.
“You know, I sometimes think Peter Dutton every year has a fight with an imaginary friend over something that most Australians are just getting on with, Australia Day,” Mr Albanese said.
“And one of the things that Australia Day celebrates is the fact that we’re not a Soviet-style command system.
“You know, like, just chill out, get on with life. You know? The debates over which company has thongs in it. Last year it was, you know, Woolworths – boycotting Woolworths, Australia’s largest employer. Did I support that? No, I didn’t support that.
“I support Australia Day. I’ll be celebrating Australia Day. I’ll be participating at the national events here. I hope that Peter Dutton joins me in a bipartisan show of support for our national day in our national capital.”
The Prime Minister also committed, when asked, to taking part in three election debates if the Opposition Leader agreed – with one of them to be held at the National Press Club.
“I’m happy to commit to having debates. My campaign director is here, Paul Erickson, and he’s responsible for all of those negotiations and I hope he does the right thing and delivers,” he said.
“I certainly think this is an appropriate venue for a national debate here, because what it does is it allows journalists from across the spectrum, as we’ve had here today, from the full spectrum of diversity of media, to be able to ask questions …
“I’ll even offer to give Peter Dutton a lift down from Parliament House, in case he can’t find it.”
Mr Albanese delivered an address he hoped would shape the course of the upcoming federal election: to announce a huge cash bonus for residential construction apprentices, and to spruik his track record.
But it was in the Q&A where he hit the Opposition best, by exposing that its leader aspires to lead the county while at the same time exhibiting how scared he is to be accountable before the national media.
Albo exposed one of his own fears, however – crossing Katy Gallagher.
“I love the Parliament,” he said. ”I think that the Prime Minister should live in Canberra. Call me old-fashioned, the Prime Minister’s residence is The Lodge, not Kirribilli House.
“And hence, I think, since I’ve been Prime Minister, urged on by Andrew [Leigh] here and Alicia [Payne] and Dave [Smith].
“But most importantly – because I’m more scared of her than the other three – is Katy Gallagher.
“And it’s pretty handy having a Finance Minister from Canberra. I’ll just make that point.”
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