Albanese tests positive to COVID, election campaign goes virtual

Labor leader Anthony Albanese will fight the election campaign from his Sydney home after testing positive for COVID-19 and going into isolation for seven days, forcing radical changes to his campaign strategy and giving key frontbenchers a bigger role.

Albanese will intensify media appearances in a bid to keep the Labor campaign in the national spotlight through radio, television and online interviews from home, with close aides saying he remains in good health.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese just hours before he returned a positive COVID test.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

Labor colleagues said he may have even more time for talkback radio and other media given the forced end to his travel schedule around the country, although the strategy depends on how his health holds up over the week ahead.

In the same way Prime Minister Scott Morrison appeared at press conferences on a television screen while in isolation in The Lodge, the Labor leader will draw on a contingency plan.

Morrison, who shook hands with Albanese before Wednesday night’s debate at the Gabba but previously contracted COVID in March, said he hoped his opponent would not suffer any serious symptoms.

“I wish Anthony Albanese all the best for his recovery after testing positive to COVID,” the prime minister wrote on Twitter.

“Everyone’s experience with COVID is different and as Labor’s campaign continues, I hope he does not experience any serious symptoms.”

There is also talk of Labor deputy leader Richard Marles taking a greater role in the campaign to replace Albanese at key events along with other frontbenchers.

While other leaders extended their sympathy to Albanese on social media after news of his positive test emerged after 6pm on Thursday, several Labor sources noted the situation would have been worse if the diagnosis came in the week before the May 21 election.

The positive COVID result means Albanese will isolate while Morrison can continue touring the country trying to win crucial votes in what is shaping as a tight election.

Anthony Albanese campaigning at a Nowra nursing home on Thursday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

“Following a routine PCR test this afternoon ahead of interstate travel to Western Australia, I have returned a positive result for COVID this evening,” Albanese said in a statement on Thursday night.

“I have been testing regularly as part of my election campaign duties. I will be isolating at home in Sydney for the next seven days and will continue to follow health guidelines and advice.”

Albanese said he would continue campaigning from home while he recovers from the virus.

“I am grateful to know that I will have access to the world’s best health care if I need it, because of Medicare,” he said.

“I am feeling fine so far – and thank everyone for their well wishes.”

The Labor leader has been taking PCR tests regularly, but had not tested positive on a RAT. A spokesman confirmed he is currently asymptomatic.

Unlike Morrison, Albanese has not had COVID before. Labor had prepared for it to happen during the campaign and the leadership team will meet on Thursday night to decide which contingency plan they will put in place from Friday.

Albanese campaigned in the marginal NSW South Coast seat of Gilmore on Thursday, where first-term Labor MP Fiona Phillips is facing a challenge from former NSW state minister Andrew Constance.

He visited the Manildra ethanol distillery in Nowra where he spruiked Labor’s focus on clean energy to drive jobs, before stopping by a local retirement village to meet and greet residents.

Uniting NSW.ACT said it had been made aware of Albanese’s positive test after he visited its Symons House.

“Uniting ensures 100 per cent of our staff and contractors are fully vaccinated against COVID-19,” Uniting head of village services Keith Morgan said. “Staff and residents at Uniting’s Symons House in Nowra will take precautions which include testing, cleaning and monitoring for symptoms.”

Labor climate spokesman Chris Bowen, who also had COVID, sent a message of sympathy.

“As someone a few days ahead of you on the COVID journey, my advice is to rest up,” he said on social media. Other MPs wished Albanese well.

There was no sympathy, however, from the Liberal Party. “Don’t risk Australia’s border security with flip-flopping Albanese and Labor,” the LNP Queensland official Twitter account said about an hour after news of the positive test was revealed.

A week before the campaign was called, The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age spoke to seven senior Labor MPs about what contingencies were in place to try to manage the situation if the leader fell ill.

None would speak on the record as they were not authorised to do so, but the MPs confirmed the campaign had war-gamed what to do if Mr Albanese caught COVID.

Under the plans, senior shadow ministers including Richard Marles, Penny Wong, Jim Chalmers and Mark Butler would play a more prominent role if Albanese was sidelined, taking on the job of being the leading spokesperson for the party on a particular day, depending on what the issue might be.

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