Anthony Albanese uses Kmart Wishing Tree appeal to troll PM

The Opposition leader carefully chose Christmas gifts for the Kmart Wishing Tree charity appeal to have a crack at the PM.

Anthony Albanese was relishing in the Christmas spirit after trolling Scott Morrison with politically-charged gifting at the launch of parliament’s Kmart wishing tree.

The event, a mainstay of the political calendar, brings together leaders from across the political divide to donate gifts to families in need over the Christmas period.

But on Wednesday, both Mr Albanese and Barnaby Joyce used the appeal to make a subtle dig at the current political landscape.

Labor’s presents included a submarine and a jigsaw puzzle of the Eiffel Tower – poking fun at the Prime Minister’s ongoing spat with France over the decision to nuke a $90bn submarine deal with the Naval Group.

Other gifts in Mr Albanese’s trolley included a fire truck (a reference to Mr Morrison’s “I don’t hold a hose mate” comment during the 2020 Summer Bushfires), and a build your own solar windmill kit.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Prime Minister placed a ‘gem mining kit’ under the tree. The Prime Minister added a puzzle – which he said got him through lockdowns, to the pile of Christmas presents.

Addressing reporters at the launch, Mr Morrison encouraged Aussies to shop local this Christmas to assist retailers doing it tough.

“I think it’s going to be a bumper Christmas for our retailers who have been doing it really tough. So when you’re out shopping for Christmas, shop local, support your local small businesses, they’ve had a tough year,” he said.

“So why not give them a great Christmas present by doing your local shopping in your local shops, supporting the local businesses who stood by you during the course of this pandemic; And it’d be great to see them also having a bumper Christmas and as their staff are coming back and also looking forward to that great period of time.”

Originally published as Anthony Albanese uses Kmart Wishing Tree appeal to troll PM