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John Kehoe

Albanese’s $4.3m home controversy is pure tall poppy syndrome

Financial success of public leaders is celebrated in the United States. But in Australia, it is political poison.

John KehoeEconomics editor

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The intrigue over Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s $4.3 million coastal home joint purchase with his fiancee confirms that tall poppy syndrome is alive in Australia.

In the United States, where I lived for almost five years as a foreign correspondent, Americans celebrate financial success. Billionaire Donald Trump was elected president in 2016 and may soon be again. Another billionaire, Michael Bloomberg, founder of global data and media company Bloomberg, was elected mayor of New York City three times.

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John Kehoe is economics editor at Parliament House, Canberra. He writes on economics, politics and business. John was Washington correspondent covering Donald Trump’s first election. He joined the Financial Review in 2008 from Treasury. Connect with John on Twitter. Email John at jkehoe@afr.com

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    Original URL: https://www.afr.com/policy/economy/albanese-s-4-3m-home-controversy-is-pure-tall-poppy-syndrome-20241015-p5kif7