Cameras caught Anthony Albanese arriving fashionably late for the traditional leaders’ photo taken on the final day of the annual Pacific Islands Forum.
As 18 other national leaders waited in the hot Tongan sun on Thursday, there was one conspicuous absence and an empty red seat reserved for Australia’s Prime Minister.
As the other leaders looked around, wondering where he was and why he was late, Mr. Albanese suddenly appeared and ran to join the group.
Despite the only empty seat in the front row, Albanese was unsure where he was supposed to be and some viewers suggested he looked “like an embarrassing bloke”.
Finally someone pointed him to his seat and Albo duly took his place.
At least he was wearing the right attire, a brightly colored short-sleeved shirt and a traditional Tongan kahoa lei necklace, matching the other leaders, as is tradition.
The other Pacific leaders wore expressions ranging from amusement to bewilderment as they awaited the Australian’s arrival.
But they were probably less amused by the moment Albanese was caught on live camera having a candid conversation with a senior US official.
Pacific Island leaders are pictured here on Thursday, waiting in the Tongan sunshine for new arrival Anthony Albanese.
Mr Albanese was caught on camera arriving late for the photo of traditional leaders taken on the final day of the Pacific Islands Forum annual meeting (pictured)
Images and audio captured Mr Albanese and US Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell discussing the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) under which Australia will fund the $400 million scheme.
When Mr Campbell said the US would step aside and let Australia handle policy, Mr Albanese joked that he would welcome US involvement if they “halved” the cost.
The PPI, which will be implemented over the next five years, was endorsed on Wednesday by leaders attending the 53rd Pacific Islands Forum.
It will involve police units from several countries, four training centres across the region and a coordination centre based in Brisbane, as Australia and the US seek to strengthen their regulatory role in the Pacific to ward off China’s strategic interest in the region.
“We have had a resounding success today with the Pacific Policing Initiative,” the Prime Minister was heard saying. “It is very important. It will make a huge difference.”
Mr Campbell praised the initiative, calling it “fantastic” and “brilliant”.
“I spoke to Kevin about this,” he said, referring to Australia’s ambassador to the United States, former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
‘So, they already knew we were going to do something, but he asked us not to do it, so we didn’t. We’ve given you the lane, so take it.’
“You can cut the cost in half if you want,” Albanese joked, laughing and patting him on the back, prompting a chuckle from the U.S. official.
“It will just cost you… a little,” he added.
The video was recorded by Radio New Zealand journalist Lydia Lewis and posted on social media.
A relieved Anthony Albanese finally found his seat on the far left of the front row after arriving late.
At the end of the video, Pacific Minister Pat Conroy reprimanded the journalist for filming the exchange, saying: “Oh come on, Lydia.”
On Thursday morning, Albanese accused Lewis of behaving unethically and filming him without his consent.
“It was a private conversation, a jovial, friendly conversation,” Albanese said, describing Campbell as “a friend of mine.”
“The video is what it is. It’s up to whoever made it to reflect on their own ethics when it comes to journalism.”
He added that if he were a journalist “he wouldn’t do that.”
Regardless of the open-mic timing, Pacific leaders have hailed the PPI as a show of unity and shared responsibility, and is a significant strategic win for Australia as it navigates China’s growing assertiveness in the region.
Along with the other leaders, Mr Albanese (pictured) wore a brightly coloured shirt and a traditional Tongan kahoa lei.
There was a mixed response on social media to Albanese’s late arrival in the leaders’ photo on Thursday.
An Albanian parody account on X was quick to poke fun at the incident.
“I was late for the Pacific Island leaders photo. I laughed so hard when I couldn’t find my seat,” the video reads.
‘Island Time I think is how they normally put it’
Some viewers did not believe the incident was so serious.
“That sounds like a memorable entrance,” one joked.
But others were less impressed with his tardiness and the hot mic incident.
“You know what they say: you don’t have to have a long neck to be a goose. Unfortunately, you reflect all of us,” said one commenter.
Some thought Australia’s huge contribution to policing the Pacific should have earned the Prime Minister a better position.
“$400 million and they put him in a bind like a shameless guy,” wrote one commentator.