Anthony Albanese’s huge comeback after awkward election day snub

Anthony Albanese is on track to be our next PM – a remarkable comeback considering his leadership began with one seriously awkward moment.

If the polls are to be believed, Anthony Albanese could soon be named Australia’s next Prime Minister.

And if that does come to pass, it’s an especially remarkable comeback considering his leadership began with a whimper after one seriously awkward moment.

Cast your mind back to May 19, 2019, when, just a day before, then-Labor leader Bill Shorten had snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, with Scott Morrison claiming a miraculous win after entering the election race as the clear underdog.

The day after Shorten’s stunning loss, Anthony Albanese called a press conference in Balmain – Labor’s spiritual home – to announce his candidacy for the leadership.

Albo called a presser to announce his leadership candidacy on may 19, 2019 … Picture: Brook Mitchell/Getty Images

But in the middle of his speech at the Unity Hall Hotel, Mr Albanese was well and truly upstaged when Bill and Chloe Shorten started to speak to the media in Melbourne.

The ABC immediately cut away from Mr Albanese, meaning his big moment largely fell on deaf ears.

“Lots of lessons for Labor to learn from yesterday’s results. I know that my party will,” Mr Shorten said.

“I am now looking forward to spending some overdue time with my amazing wife. After all, I am Chloe Shorten’s husband. And to see the kids.”

He only took one question – what went wrong?

“We didn’t get enough votes,” Mr Shorten said.

Meanwhile, back in Sydney, Mr Albanese was full of praise for his beaten leader.

“He has fought a tough campaign, he has led our great party for six years. He has been an inclusive leader and is someone who has campaigned on a policy agenda in the interests of working people, and is someone who has my respect,” Mr Albanese said.

… but he was upstaged by Bill and Chloe Shorten, who addressed the media following his election defeat at the same time. Picture: AAP Image/James Ross

“Can I say that we need to respect the decision that people made yesterday in, I think, clear fashion. This is indeed a devastating result for the Labor Party. I particularly want to say my heart goes out to all those many tens of thousands of true believers who campaigned strongly over many months.

“I’m sorry that we, collectively, didn’t get the job done.”

At the time, he said the Morrison government would continue to be “divided” and the “instability and inaction” would not go away.

“Most of all, what we need to do is have a government that deals with the big challenges by bringing people together,” he said.

“We need unions and businesses, people who live in our cities, the outer suburbs, or in the regions, to come together and recognise what unites us as a nation is far greater than what divides us.”

Albo’s rise to the top

The son of a single mother who grew up in an inner Sydney public housing estate, Anthony Norman Albanese famously overcame a humble childhood to emerge as one of the most powerful players in Australian politics.

Mr Albanese first won the seat of Grayndler in Sydney’s inner west back in 1996, and since then, he has steadily risen through the ranks of the ALP, having been first appointed to the Shadow Cabinet in 2001.

In June 2013, he was elected as Deputy Leader of the Labor Party, and a day later was sworn in as Deputy Prime Minister, a role he held until Labor’s defeat at the 2013 election.

He then announced his candidacy as leader, although Bill Shorten ultimately succeeded after a month-long contest that was the first to involve a combined vote of MPs and rank-and-file members.

Anthony Albanese trounced Scott Morrison in the first and last leaders’ debate, while the second ended in a tie. Picture: Toby Zerna

While Mr Albanese won a large majority of the membership at the time, Mr Shorten secured more MP votes, and was able to nab the top job.

Mr Albanese was then appointed Shadow Minister for Infrastructure and Transport and Shadow Minister for Tourism, and later Shadow Minister for Cities.

Following Shorten’s resignation after the 2019 election loss, Mr Albanese was elected as leader unopposed, after Chris Bowen pulled out of the race.

While critics have blasted Mr Albanese’s election campaign stumbles and slammed a perceived lack of big policy announcements, the 59-year-old has obviously done a commendable job, trouncing Morrison in the first and last leaders’ debate while the second ended in a tie.

Betting agencies have declared Anthony Albanese the favourite to win the election and become Prime Minister, with Labor a $1.50 favourite to win with TAB, indicating he now has a fairly good chance of being installed at the Lodge.