Exclusive interview: Anthony Albanese talks about his first year as PM

It’s been 12 months since Anthony Albanese became prime minister. We joined him as he raced around the country selling Labor’s first budget in a decade and asked how he switches off from the country’s most important job.

For a bloke who’s just turned 60, Anthony Albanese sets a cracking pace. To mark the first anniversary of his victory last May, we joined the Prime Minister as he raced around the country selling the first Labor budget in a decade.

After three stops in Adelaide, including a medical centre in Elizabeth and the vocational college in St Agnes that trains half of South Australia’s carpenters, the PM spoke as his RAAF plane headed towards Melbourne and another three more public appearances, including a childcare centre in Diamond Creek, a Labor event at pub in Brighton and dropping in to the ABC where he fielded talkback calls.

As we chat over lunch, the PM’s enthusiasm shines through.

“I am incredibly optimistic about where Australia is positioned if we get it right,” he says.

“There’s a window of opportunity to seize the advantages that we have in the transition to clean energy, in the development of green hydrogen, in the development of manufacturing.”

A relaxed and confident Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Warming to his theme, he reels off a list: “fastest growing region in the world in human history, best solar resources in the world bar none. Minerals, including critical minerals that are of increasing value, everything from copper to nickel to lithium to vanadium, et cetera. Skilled Workforce if we get it right, multiculturalism is an asset in the region as well …

“If we get all of that right, we can have a very prosperous future. If we don’t, then we’ll continue to be at the end of the supply chains and weakened by that.”

A selfie at Adelaide’s North East Vocational College. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

One of the biggest surprises of the first year is how much he’s enjoying it.

“I thought I would but I’m enjoying it a lot,” he says.

“The workload I expected and I had a lot of time to think about it — six years as leader of the House and chair of the parliamentary business committee you were really at the centre of everything the (last Labor) government was doing, particularly due to the hung parliament.

“ That was really good preparation. And then I had nine years, including three as opposition leader, to think about what I would do.”

With the exception of the expansion of paid parental leave, “everything we’ve done are things that we outlined before the election”.

As befits a man who pollsters say is still on his honeymoon with voters after 12 months, Mr Albanese seems remarkably relaxed.

“I sleep pretty well. One of the things that we’ve done quite well is to be a government that is steady, that works things through. We have proper cabinet processes often that will consist of a first pass when decisions aren’t going to be made,” he says.

“I think there’s a sense of calm and order about the government and about its agenda and the way that we operate.”

Promoting the Red Shield Appeal with Jessica Rowe, Natalie Barr and Joe Hildebrand.

The difference with his predecessor’s government is stark.

“Ministers (were) saying to me that they found out about announcements when the media release went out and their name was on the top. That’s not the way to have a good government or to give people confidence in the jobs that they have,” he says.

Asked if he has had more to do with Peter Dutton than Scott Morrison did with him when he was opposition leader, the PM’s voice becomes raised: “By many multipliers! I met with Scott Morrison in his office on the first day of parliament in 2019 and I think that was the last time I entered his office that I can remember over the three years.

“It’s possible I was in there at Christmas — we’d put the toys under the tree in the foyer — but that was it.”

In contrast, “I would speak with Dutton about things just to keep him informed as a courtesy (roughly) once a fortnight … We have a courteous professional relationship but I rarely spoke to Morrison. He just didn’t engage.”

The major exception to the Albanese government’s first-year caution has been the PM’s insistence on pushing ahead with this year’s referendum on the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

How, one wonders, will he heal the wounds if the referendum goes down?

“Well, that’s a decision for the Australian people that will be respected,” he says.

“I think it will be a missed opportunity to advance reconciliation. And it will be a setback for reconciliation.

“But no one ever won a game of footy game by not running on the field.”

Anthony Albanese at the Occasional Child Care Centre in Diamond Creek in Melbourne. Picture: Aaron Francis

Reflecting on the hectic pace of his life that can see him talking to doctors, carpenters, childcare workers (and children) within the span of a day, the PM says is a function of his personality.

“I really enjoy meeting people. I’ve always enjoyed getting out and about and engaging with people. I find people fascinating.”

In his downtime, despite arthritis in his knees, he still plays tennis — “four sets of comp” — on Saturdays.

“It’s great I find that simple game — ball over the net between the lines — you’re not on your phone, by definition. You’re just concentrating.

“For that few hours at Marrickville I’m just me, Albo or Anthony, I’m not the PM, I’m one of the team.”

He’s also been watching Succession — “They’re just amazing characters” — and loved Yellowstone too: “fantastic”.

Unlike many politicians he is a fiction reader: “I re-read just as a bit of an escape recently Catch-22. I like not too serious fiction. I’ve read everything by Nick Hornby and Ben Elton.”

Inevitably the talk turns to music: “King Stingray, I love that album. That’s my favourite album of last year.”

He’s also excited by the 21-year old Aboriginal singing sensation Budjerah.

“The great thing about Spotify is you can just rediscover,” he says.

“The last thing I listened to was the Hilltop Hoods, Lana Del Rey (the album) Norman F…ing Rockwell.”