Anthony Albanese has fired up at an ABC radio host accusing the presenter of ‘verballing’ him during a tense interview.
Alice Springs breakfast radio host Stewart Brash told the Prime Minister on Friday that he appeared to be claiming he was an ‘underdog’ going into the election.
‘Isn’t it a bit dumbfounding that a first term Prime Minister is claiming underdog status?’ Brash said.
‘And… do you recognise you’re a bit on the nose with the electorate?’
Mr Albanese fired back: ‘You’re verballing me there’.
‘Well that’s my job-‘ said Brash.
‘No, it’s not actually,’ the PM interrupted. ‘It’s not the job of the ABC. There are enough media outlets engaged in that.’
When Brash pushed Mr Albanese further, the PM said he was confident that his government would form majority government at the next election.
ABC Alice Springs radio host of 20 years Stewart Brash copped a few barbs from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
Mr Albanese accused Brash of ‘verballing’ him – and insisted his government would be returned with a majority
That flies in the face of the conventional wisdom that Mr Albanese’s government will lose its thin parliamentary majority, but manage to cling onto power by cobbling together a minority with the Greens or Teal independents.
The next election must be held by mid-May, but the date will be at Mr Albanese’s choosing.
The stoush came as the Federal government committed $842.6 million over six years to the Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment program, funding services including policing, women’s safety, education and alcohol harm reduction.
Mr Albanese hailed the agreement as the ‘largest investment in remote communities we have ever seen’.
‘This is a great day for the Territory and it’s a particularly great day for remote communities,’ he told local media.
Mr Albanese said the investment would make sure First Nations people are not ‘left behind’.
‘We want to make sure every single dollar from the Commonwealth goes to making a difference to people’s lives,’ he said.
‘If things are not working, we will change them, intervene to make sure the dollars go to where they are anticipated, which is improving the lives of Territorians.’
