Anthony Albanese is a knockabout bloke — but could that work against him?
Since taking over as Labor leader, Anthony Albanese has done his best to be accessible and approachable — someone totally unlike Bill Shorten — but could his genial ways work against him, asks Annika Smethurst.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Anthony Albanese wants to portray himself as a different kind of opposition leader, someone who is totally unlike Bill Shorten.
It makes sense, given Shorten’s unpopularity is still being blamed for Labor’s election loss.
In an email to colleagues last week, Albanese encouraged backbench MPs to submit questions from their electorates to Tony Burke’s office as a way of contributing to Question Time.
According to the email, it was about “ensuring the voices of your electorate are heard”. But many of Albanese’s colleagues saw it as much more. It was a small gesture, distinct from the old regime.
In the first few weeks since taking over as Labor leader, Albanese is doing his best to be accessible and approachable. No longer flanked by a praetorian guard, the new opposition leader has also abolished media bans in place under Shorten.
He has directed colleagues not to brand the government as “liars”, in a stark difference between the old and the new.
MORE FROM ANNIKA SMETHURST
AFP raid left my private world on display
Mystery beer and sausage shoppers to monitor prices
Even those critical of his leadership believe Albanese has picked up on the “conflict fatigue” in the community and admit it’s the right direction for the party to take.
“The trick for us will be not picking unnecessary fights,” one Labor MP said. “Albo gets that.”
In many ways Albanese has a distinct advantage that political leaders have lacked in recent years. The new Labor leader — a term he prefers over Opposition Leader — has taken over as leader without any real challenger, giving him an authority his predecessors lacked.
When asked how important Shorten’s unpopularity was in the election result, Labor MPs are drawn to one word: “significant”. But even Shorten’s biggest critics cannot deny he kept the party together. That will be Albanese’s biggest challenge.
Leaks from Shadow Cabinet never dogged Shorten who, for the most part, managed to keep his team united.
Albanese has already been forced to stare down his new frontbench, warning colleagues leaks will not hamper policy discussion.
As opposition leader, Shorten also managed to look more prime ministerial than many of his opponents.
Labor, for the most part, also set the political agenda from the opposition benches.
Labor MPs agree that while Albanese might be more approachable, his likeable and knockabout persona could be a double-edged sword.
In the last sitting week he stood up in the House of Representatives and tried to change the name of the government’s bill from Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Relief So Working Australians Keep More Of Their Money) to Treasury Laws Amendment (Tax Relief So Working Australians Keep More Of Their Money But Not For A Really Long Time).
It got a few laughs but many of his frontbench colleagues believe those antics are no longer suitable now he is the leader.