Clare Armstrong: Sorry, PM, but snapping at the press is no way to win an election

By jumping to the conclusion of conspiracy between journalists and his political opponents, Mr Albanese showed his enduring weakness: an inability to rein in the glass jaw.

The ghosts of elections past are threatening to derail elections future for Anthony Albanese, who is running out of time to remind Australians who he is and what Labor stands for.

After firing the starter’s gun on the first unofficial day of the 2025 campaign on Monday with a blitz of regional Queensland seats, it quickly became apparent the Prime Minister has not yet mastered the forum that so nearly cost him the election three years ago.

Standing by a roundabout in Gympie just off the Bruce Highway in Queensland, a road for which Labor had just committed $7.2 billion worth of safety upgrades – ostensibly a good news story – the PM soon became irritable at some of the questions from journalists at the press conference.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese making a funding announcement beside the Bruce Hwy. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

When one reporter asked whether Labor’s use of the slogan “build back better” – in this context meaning to rebuild road sections so they are more resilient to severe weather – had been pinched from the campaign of outgoing US President Joe Biden, Mr Albanese lost his cool.

He rejected the question and suggested it had been written by the Liberal National Party.

“You should be cautious about just reading out things that are sent from the LNP,” Mr Albanese replied.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was accused by a reporter of borrowing Joe Biden’s catch phrase, Build Back Better. (Photo by Olivier DOULIERY / AFP)

It was a bizarre response.

Firstly, there was a perfectly logically explanation for the use of the phrase.

But more significantly, by jumping to the conclusion of conspiracy between journalists and his political opponents, Mr Albanese showed his enduring weakness: an inability to rein in the glass jaw during media appearances.

Putting aside who even cares where the question came from, his snappy responses and apparent inability to see in the moment how his answers are coming across to the public are increasingly getting the PM into hot water.

It’s how he ends up getting dragged for days on issues like accepting Qantas upgrades, playing tennis after a synagogue was firebombed, or showing up at the Australian Open when Alice Springs was in crisis.

In his hurry to clap back at a journalist – and to be fair, Opposition leader Peter Dutton can also be guilty of this – Mr Albanese frequently misses the opportunity to get in front of an issue and give a response that speaks to community sentiment.

For the PM, the origins of the approach can be traced back to that crisp Autumn morning in Launceston on the first day of the 2022 election.

Anthony Albanese is spending a whopping $4.3 million home on a cliff top home on NSW’ Central Coast. This was another controversy that saw him clash with the press. Picture: Realestate.com.au

The events of that half-hour press conference by a playground on the bank of the Tamar River went on to define Mr Albanese’s entire campaign.

Unable to recall the cash rate or unemployment figure, the aspiring PM came across as ill-prepared and unconfident on economic issues.

The characterisation was harsh, but only months earlier Scott Morrison had been lampooned by the media – and Labor – when he couldn’t recall the cost of a loaf of bread or petrol, so the “do you know what ‘xyz’ is” line of questioning was not without precedent.

A few hours later, a rattled and forlorn looking Mr Albanese gave his explanation to the press gathered around him during a walk through the Devonport mall.

“Earlier today I made a mistake,” he said. “I’m human. But when I make a mistake, I’ll fess up to it and I’ll set about correcting that mistake. I won’t blame someone else, I’ll accept responsibility, that’s what leaders do.”

His honesty did not stop the gaffe leading the 6pm news bulletins that night or the newspaper front pages the next day, but it was a refreshing response in the world of politics, which is dominated by spin and refusal to admit wrongdoing

Fast forward to 2025 and what Mr Albanese still doesn’t seem to have figured out yet is that while he is very much “human” and he is right to view the Australian public as generally fair minded and reasonable, being leader of this country generally makes you the exception to the rule.

Yes, Australians may theoretically understand why someone might want to buy a home with their fiance, or day I say, make good on a promise to the kids and go on holiday to Hawaii, but when you’re the PM the same rules just don’t apply.

Of course, no self-respecting member of the public gives a toss about a reporter copping a serve from a politician – if anything they tend to cheer it on.

But what is missed by Mr Albanese is the opportunity to speak through the media and reach the fair-minded Australians who are out there wondering who to vote for.

Originally published as Clare Armstrong: Sorry, PM, but snapping at the press is no way to win an election