Federal election 2022: ‘It’s sloppy. He wants to be PM’: Inside Labor’s pain

Anthony Albanese’s lack of recall has alarmed Labor insiders who fear it shows he hasn’t learned from the first week of the campaign when he didn’t know the unemployment rate.

Labor insiders say Anthony Albanese’s brain fade on the ALP’s NDIS policy can be explained in part by Covid.

The Opposition Leader on Thursday was unable to recall the ALP’s six point plan for the national disability scheme and was later caught reading from a cheat sheet on the policy that had been given to him by his staff.

The lack of recall has alarmed Labor insiders who fear it shows he hasn’t learned from the first week of campaign when he didn’t know the unemployment rate or the RBA cash rates.

“How can they not have solved this problem? If six points is too hard, why not make it three?” a Labor campaign veteran later complained.

“It’s sloppy: he wants to be the Prime Minister.”

But a senior Labor figure who has spent time with the leader since his illness, defended his performance on Thursday, putting the slip up down to him still suffering the lingering effects of Covid.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese on the attack. Picture: Liam Kidston

“It’s not fair say he doesn’t understand the detail, he does but he couldn’t remember the points.

“He was not well. He’s still dealing with it,” the figure said.

Journalists have compared the schedules of the two party leaders during this campaign which has shown that Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been doing more campaign events than his opponent.

Labor said in the light of Mr Albanese’s illness this was unlikely to change.

“Arguably he’s doing too much,” the figure said.

The view was echoed by a member of Mr Albanese’s staff who said it was important not too exhaust him as he recovers from the virus.

“We’re sparing him,” the staffer said.

Thursday’s NDIS error comes as Mr Morrison moved to focus the campaign on Mr Albanese’s fitness for office.

Labor leader Anthony Albanese's notes fly off the lectern during a press conference at Addison Road Community Centre, Marrickville, seat of Grayndler. Picture: Liam Kidston

Speaking in Perth on Friday, the PM said “as this campaign has gone on, we’ve seen just how much we don’t know about the Labor Party and I think Australians are really starting to ask the question is Anthony Albanese really up to this?”

In a speech later that day he lashed out at Mr Albanese as a “small, weak leader”.

The attack has distinct echoes of the Howard Government’s deadly attack on former Labor Leader Kim Beazley for his “flip flops” which was intended as a coded reference to the fact he was overweight.

Senior Coalition sources confirmed to this publication the PM’s question had been framed in response to research showing voters have lingering concerns about Mr Albanese’s fitness for office.

“You can bet every one of our talkers will (be asking the question) from today until polling day,” one said.

The Labor camp believes that while Thursday’s mishap was unhelpful, coming as it did on the earlier errors, it was not disastrous.

“Was it a f — k up? Absolutely. Was it fatal? No,” one senior figure said.

“The problem is if people are looking then and wavering then it would reinforce their concerns.

“He needed and needs better cheat sheets.”

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