Picture of Albo that will infuriate Dutton as Prime Minister snubs call to ditch trip to the US

A picture of the Anthony Albanese walking up the steps to his Prime Ministerial jet is set to make Peter Dutton’s blood boil after he demanded the leader stay at home.

Anthony Albanese has ignored a call to ditch high-level talks in San Francisco with Asia Pacific leaders to stay at home to deal with simmering domestic issues.

The Prime Minister left Canberra shortly after a fiery question time to head to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Wednesday afternoon.

He argued if he stayed home he would be only the second Australian leader to miss the talks since 1989 – after Julia Gillard skipped the summit in the wake of her father’s death.

Mr Albanese was under pressure from Opposition Leader Peter Dutton snub the summit in order to convene a national cabinet to discuss a joint strategy to combat anti-Semitism in the wake of the Israel-Hamas conflict.

“Prime Minister, I have written to you and what you should do is consult with the premiers and the chief ministers and immediately convene a meeting of the national cabinet to get a better understanding of the police response, to understand what the securityand intelligence agencies are providing, to collate that information, and to have a coherent response which provides supportand underpinning a security for people of Jewish faith in this country when they need it most – in their hour of need,” he said.

Mr Albanese departed Canberra on Wednesday afternoon on a plane headed to APEC. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Mr Dutton also used a failed motion to claim the Prime Minister had not shown “strong leadership” after a high court decision led to the release of 80 criminals, including murderers, rapists and paedophiles.

The court ruled it was unlawful to hold stateless people in immigration detention indefinitely after committing a crime.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong confirmed the government would “shortly” legislate in response to the decision, despite the court’s full reasons not yet being published.

The Opposition has offered bipartisan support for a solution and have demanded parliament should not rise until the matter is dealt with.

Mr Albanese confronted the allegations head on, declaring he stood with Jewish Australians against anti-Semitism and accused Mr Dutton of “weaponising” both issues.

“To come in here and move this resolution and link anti-Semitism with the decision of the High Court is beyond contempt,” he said.

Mr Albanese said he was “proud” of his track record and his history of standing up for “the rights and for the justice of Palestinian people”.

“The idea of selective human rights is one that I stand against. So I’m opposed to any innocent life being lost,” he added.

Wentworth MP Allegra Spender also denounced Mr Dutton for “turning anti-Semitism into a political football”.

In a statement after question time, the independent said it was damaging not only for the Jewish community but for national cohesion.

“To watch the Opposition deliberately try and politicise this issue and conflate it with the Prime Minister’s travel schedule in order to score political points is disgraceful,” she said.

Mr Dutton dialled up the rhetoric on Mr Albanese during a brusing question time. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

“We need to come together as a country and take urgent action against anti-Semitism and all forms of hate speech.

“This is a time when Australia’s national unity has never been more important. Peter Dutton’s attempt to weaponise and politicise anti-Semitism for political gain is unconscionable.”

Trade, climate and the digital economy are expected to be the key themes for the Prime Minister during the summit.

But all eyes will be on a meeting between US President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the second in-person meeting since 2021.

On Thursday, Mr Albanese is expected to meet with Microsoft chairman and chief executive Satya Nadella following the tech company’s announcement of a $5bn investment into Australia.