James Morrow: Prime Minister’s sad stunt is wearing very thin

At a crucial time for both the nation and his party, the ongoing question of what Anthony Albanese knew about that caravan of explosives in Sydney and when did he know is slowly consuming his government’s credibility.

The ongoing question of what the prime minister knew about that caravan of explosives in Dural and when did he know it is slowly consuming his government’s credibility.

It has been a week since this masthead revealed the PM was kept in the dark about the discovery, and yesterday the nation was treated to the spectacle of Australian Federal Police commissioner Reece Kershaw refusing to answer questions about when he was informed.

Operational matters are one thing, but there is no conceivable way that the date Mr Albanese was told of the plot would blow the cover of the cops who are now very publicly trying to find out who was ultimately behind the plot.

Remember, we are talking about explosives that, if detonated, could have caused a blast with a diameter of 40 metres, killing and maiming everyone in the vicinity.

Anthony Albanese at Question Time this week. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Indeed, Kershaw’s ducking and weaving – “that’s not the subject or purpose of today’s hearing” – suggests as much.

But this ongoing saga also points to a bigger problem.

At a crucial time for both the nation and his party, Anthony Albanese calls to mind the title of the old crime thriller: he’s the man who wasn’t there.

Australian Federal Police Commissioner, Reece Kershaw. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

And his stunt of claiming to keep things from getting political is a cop-out

It’s been the defining theme of his leadership, from hanging out at the tennis while Alice Springs melted down, to hanging out at Uluru before the Voice vote but after October 7 while the Jewish community begged for reassurance.

Australians see it in parliament, too, when the prime minister ducks questions about the cost of living by accusing the opposition of culture wars and playing politics.

Prime minister, politics is your job. If you don’t wish to engage in it, voters will find someone who will.