Anthony Albanese and Keir Starmer at Number 10. Photo: Anthony Albanese Facebook.
The Federal Opposition says Anthony Albanese crossed a line in addressing the Labour Party conference in the United Kingdom, but the Federal Government says it was all a good use of the Prime Minister’s time.
The truth lies somewhere in between, as the PM did tend to a lot of other business while on his extended overseas trip, including a string of useful meetings in the UK.
However, the fact that public servants were not with the PM at the Liverpool conference is a fairly good indicator that that leg of the tour was party-political.
That Mr Albanese all but endorsed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on stage and gave a rallying call to his party is another stark clue that this was a partisan appearance.
Public servants – usually hordes of them – always accompany a Prime Minister on international business.
There were plenty to be seen (or not seen, if they’re good at what they do) in New York for the United Nations General Assembly; en route to Scotland for an audience with the King; and on hand at various meetings with political leaders over the past week.
But they weren’t there for the Labour conference in Liverpool, and that’s how it should be.
The question is, should the Australian PM himself have even been there? Should he have addressed the crowd?
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says it’s a definite “no” to that question.
“Australians are rightly disappointed in the Prime Minister today,” she said on Monday (29 September).
“The Prime Minister crossed a line by attending a UK Labour Party conference.
“In fact, he didn’t just cross a line; he flew to the other side of the world to give a partisan political speech on behalf of a political party in another country. That is totally unacceptable.
“We have no problem with the Prime Minister meeting the King, the Prime Minister of the UK, and other UK leaders, but giving a speech backing a political party in another country, that really does cross the line, and I know Australians would be disappointed in their Prime Minister for doing just that.
“In fact, his excuse is in shreds because the public service deserted that leg of his trip, completely underlining the fact that it was partisan and political in nature.”
Shadow finance minister James Paterson, who is also shadow minister for the public service, was just as scathing in his critique of the PM’s Labour Party appearance.
He called a victory lap.
“I’m not aware of any precedent of a Prime Minister travelling overseas to speak at a party political conference, a partisan political conference,” Senator Paterson said.
“I think that the Prime Minister had legitimate business in New York. He had legitimate businesses in the UK, including his meetings with the government. But this side trip to a political conference is inappropriate.
“And frankly, I think the Labor Party should be picking up the tab for that, not taxpayers, because it starts to look like this is a taxpayer-funded victory lap for a Prime Minister on a partisan basis.
“I think that is reckless for our foreign policy and not a fair and proper use of taxpayers’ money.”
Fellow Opposition frontbencher Maria Kovacic called it an “exercise in vanity”.
Federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers, however, defended his boss, saying international leaders often fill the guest spot on the Labour conference agenda.
And besides, the PM met with “both sides of politics” and the head of state while in the UK.
By the end of the day, the Prime Minister himself was asked about the whole saga while giving a media conference in Abu Dhabi.
He essentially stated that he was in a position to accept the invitation extended to him.
“I was really able to take up the invitation of Prime Minister Starmer, and I met with all of the senior ministers in his government, including the Deputy Prime Minister, the Defence Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Health Minister,” he said.
“We were able to pursue discussions about AUKUS as well … It is in Australia’s interest to be engaged with the world.
“I have been engaged with the world, and including in that, of course, I met with the Leader of the Opposition and some of her key people, including the shadow education minister and others as well.”
It is certainly in Australia’s interest for its Prime Minister to be engaged in world affairs.
But it is in the Prime Minister’s interest and that of his party to endorse a like-minded fellow traveller from the same political movement as his own.
And so publicly taking sides in the politics of another country isn’t really the done thing.
The PM knows that. The Opposition knows that. And so do the public servants who left Albo to his own devices in Liverpool.
