Wherever He Goes, There They Are

In politics, perceptions are critical. Especially bad ones. Once a negative public perception takes hold, it can be near-impossible to shake. Just ask former opposition leaders like Labor’s Simon Crean, or the Liberal’s Brendan Nelson.

Australian PM Anthony Albanese is finding that out the hard way, as the “Airbus Albo” tag becomes an ever-weightier millstone around his neck.

The tag became fixed from almost the instant Albanese was elected, when almost his very first act as PM was to jet off overseas. Never mind his excuse: explaining is losing. For the first few months of his term, all voters cared about was that their PM had spent more time out of the country than at home. Things have scarcely improved: in just 18 months of government, Albanese has taken no less than 21 overseas trips.

Albanese can splutter all he likes that it’s vital government business, but that only begs the question: what is Penny Wong actually doing? Why even have a Foreign Minister, if the PM is hogging all the Frequent Flyer miles for himself?

And, never forget: Explaining is losing.

Anthony Albanese and his government are in trouble.

Labor’s trouble has been brewing for some time, is being made worse by the Prime Minister’s international travel and reached boiling point this week as the government was forced to capitulate to Peter Dutton’s demands on new laws to deal with the 83 criminals, including rapists, murders and pedophiles, released from indefinite immigration detention.

No matter how much high dudgeon Albanese puts on, in his rare appearances in parliament, the blunt perception is that Albanese’s standard response to crises is to go missing in action and scurry off overseas again. Albanese’s own insistence on not dealing with domestic questions while he’s overseas only reinforces the perception that he’s dodging his responsibilities.

Because, heaven knows, it’s not as if Australia is coasting along on smooth waters, right now.

From a cost of living crisis, to an anti-Semitism crisis, Australia is in deep domestic doo-doo. Much of it, if not started by the government, is certainly fanned on by it. Labor’s policies, from “Net Zero” to turbocharged mass immigration, are whipping local crises into firestorms. Labor’s shameful fence-sitting while naked anti-Semitism goose-steps across Australia is plunging the country into an abyss from which there’s no easy retreat. The PM’s personal hobby horse, the failed Voice referendum, shamefully divided the country on racial lines.

There is only one sitting week of parliament left this year before the Christmas-summer break, it’s halfway through the election cycle and the polls are shifting away from the ALP and Albanese personally.

The Indigenous voice referendum itself will not have a role in the next election, but for the government its result has been an unsettling demonstration that Labor voters are prepared to vote against the urgings of their ALP members and a sign of being out of touch with a changed electoral dynamic […]

But the problem about how to quickly and effectively deal with these issues is Albanese’s responsibility and duty.

Responsibility and duty he’s conspicuously ducking, preferring to jetset around the world.

Albanese’s frequent flyer addiction might be excused if he had a competent, united team, to keep things running smoothly.

That, he most certainly does not.

Albanese is not being helped by public differences between ministers, arrogant policy implementation and unpopular agendas.

What is worse is that the entire government appears to be able only to react to issues, and then slowly and ineptly, and lacks initiative […]

Senior ministers have contradicted each other and government policy. Penny Wong, as Foreign Minister, shifted the boundaries on demands for an Israeli ceasefire, and varying declarations of support for Palestine and Israel have created internal divisions and tensions.

As well, the Labor leadership was slow and equivocal in its initial reaction to the Hamas attacks on October 7, and even slower and more inept in dealing with the rise of anti-Semitism here.

Albanese has been unable to decisively heal the divisions over Israel, and the High Court’s decision last week forcing the release criminals from indefinite immigration detention made things only worse for him.

While Albo flits hither and yon, opposition leader Peter Dutton is making mincemeat of his government. Forcing Labor to capitulate and meekly accept the opposition’s amendments to deal with High Court nuttiness is just the start. Dutton is rightfully excoriating the PM’s shirking.

“The Australian Prime Minister has one of the most serious charges in this country. That is to take care of the Australian people, to protect, to defend them, to make sure that when threats exist, the Prime Minister utilises the powers at his disposal to deal with that threat, to neutralise it and to keep our country and our people safe,” Dutton told parliament. “And he fails at the first hurdle.”

The Australian

Labor’s Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, at least seems dimly cognizant of the government’s peril. Labor, she admits, is in dire danger of being seen to be out of touch with average voters. The trust of those voters, once lost, is nigh-impossible to win back. “We know we can never take that trust for granted,” she said.

These are the people, Plibersek admitted, who will decide the next election.

More and more of them appear to be making up their minds already.