The Source: Has Anthony Albanese just had his first Joe Biden moment?

The Prime Minister was spruiking the latest update on the North East Link on Thursday but strangely Anthony Albanese didn’t appear to know where he was, prompting comparisons to former US President “Sleepy Joe” Biden.

Anthony Albanese didn’t appear to know where he was while spruiking the North East Link, prompting comparisons to former US president Joe Biden.

Putting the squeeze on Victoria’s movers, shakers and headline makers

Has Anthony Albanese had his first Joe Biden moment?

The Prime Minister visited Melbourne Thursday morning to spruik the latest incremental update on the North East Link project, a joint effort between the Commonwealth and the Allan government.

Strangely, Albo didn’t appear to know where he was.

“Well, it’s fantastic to be back in Victoria, and particularly good to be in the electorate of Menzies with Gabriel, the first time I’ve been back here since the third of May when I stood and handed out how to vote cards for what was a very successful campaign,” the Prime Minister said flanked by a slew of state and federal MPs including new Labor member for Menzies Gabriel Ng.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese speaks at a press conference with Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan after touring the North East project in Melbourne. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“And I do want to take the opportunity to thank Victorians for keeping their faith and trust in the government that I’m proud to lead.”

One slight problem.

The Prime Minister was not in Menzies at all – he was standing firmly in the seat of Jagajaga, held by Labor’s Kate Thwaites.

Albo went on to boast about record infrastructure funding for Victoria, well up from the 8 per cent of total infrastructure spend under the former Coalition federal government.

That’s all well and good.

But hard to sell that your heart’s in Victoria when you make blunders as big as this.

Given Labor had never held the seat of Menzies until May 3 you could almost forgive Albo for not appearing to know where it was, precisely.

And as one politico close to the PM said “the tunnel finishes in Bulleen!” which is indeed squarely in Menzies.

Still, tough to convince Victorians you’re not, deep down, a PM for Sydney with slip ups like this.

Biden – who became renowned for his slip ups and faux pas during his time in office – dropped out of the election race in July last year, four months short of his 82nd birthday.

At 62, you’d reckon Albo has a couple of decades left in him yet.