With just two weeks remaining before the federal election, Anthony Albanese has maintained his composure despite challenges that could have derailed his campaign.
As the third week of campaigning wrapped up early for the Easter long weekend, the Prime Minister opted for a brief stroll with his fiancée Jodie Haydon and their cavoodle Toto. Though a simple outing, it carried a notable political message — taking place in Bennelong, a former Liberal stronghold once held by John Howard.
A Newspoll released earlier in the week showed 49 per cent of voters preferred Mr Albanese as prime minister over Peter Dutton, who polled at 38 per cent. When asked about his rising support, Albanese reflected on his critics underestimating him.
“But the truth is, winning a second term is tough — we’re trying to climb a mountain,” he said. “No prime minister has been re-elected since John Howard in 2004.”
The Easter lull means both leaders now have only days left to sway voters before early voting opens Tuesday, with nearly half of Australia’s 18 million enrolled voters expected to cast ballots before polling day, if past trends hold.
That’s likely why both Albanese and Dutton spent the week crisscrossing the country, with Albanese alone visiting seven key electorates across three states — including marginal Labor seats, tight Liberal-held seats, and a seat held by the Greens.
Despite hurdles, including reports of Russian diplomatic moves in Indonesia and renewed claims Labor secretly plans to scrap negative gearing, Albanese appeared upbeat and stayed on message, promoting policies on housing, health, childcare, and education.
Housing Plans Take Centre Stage
Housing affordability dominated the week, as both leaders officially launched their campaigns on Sunday. Albanese promised a $10 billion fund to build 100,000 homes for first-home buyers, alongside an expanded guarantor scheme allowing buyers to avoid mortgage insurance with a 5 per cent deposit.
He claimed the existing scheme had already helped 150,000 buyers, with just three defaults.
The Coalition countered by pledging to let Australians access superannuation to purchase homes and make mortgage interest tax-deductible for first-home buyers of new builds. Dutton argued his plan could save households $12,000 annually over five years.
Albanese Sidesteps on Power Price Promise
During Wednesday’s leaders’ debate, Albanese was pressed four times by ABC’s David Speers about when power bills would drop. Having pledged a $275 reduction before the last election, the Prime Minister declined to commit to a new figure or timeline.
Instead, he criticised the Coalition’s nuclear power proposal and reaffirmed support for renewables as the cheapest energy source.
Negative Gearing Debate Resurfaces
A familiar controversy reappeared when Dutton accused Labor of secretly planning to scrap negative gearing — a policy previously abandoned after contributing to Labor’s 2016 and 2019 election defeats. Albanese denied the claim, while Treasurer Jim Chalmers admitted Treasury had explored the topic, though no modelling was commissioned.
“It’s standard practice to occasionally seek advice on policy matters,” Chalmers said, adding that changes to negative gearing wouldn’t deliver the necessary improvements to housing supply.
Dutton’s Foreign Policy Blunder
On Tuesday, a US military journal report claiming Russia had approached Indonesia about accessing a military base in Papua dominated headlines. Dutton quickly accused Labor of a foreign policy lapse.
However, it later emerged Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto hadn’t confirmed such a request and Indonesian officials assured Australia it wouldn’t happen.
Dutton was forced to backtrack within a day — a slip Albanese seized upon as evidence of recklessness and poor judgement.
“You saw the difference between a government that’s careful and diplomatic and an opposition leader that jumps to conclusions,” Albanese said.
PM Confronted at Melbourne Hotel
As has become a campaign fixture, Albanese was approached by two men filming at his Melbourne hotel on Tuesday night. One raised concerns about the housing crisis, while the other questioned immigration levels. The pair were moved on by security.
Albanese brushed off the incident, reaffirming his commitment to public appearances.
“Nothing stops me,” he said. “I think it’s important to turn up in unscripted, uncontrolled settings — and I’ve done it time and time again.”
Protests have followed the PM throughout the campaign, with several events interrupted and activists setting up a tent outside his Copacabana home to highlight the housing crisis.
