Peter van Onselen, political editor of WhatsNew2Day Australia
After being accused of lying by the organizer of a demonstration against male violence towards women at the weekend, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese refused to confirm or deny the accusation in two television interviews this morning.
But he didn’t stop there. In a failed attempt to show empathy for Sarah Williams after hurling the L-word at her, Albo dismissed the barb as the reflection of an emotional woman.
“It was an emotional day,” he told Channel Nine’s Today show, doing his best Scott Morrison impersonation.
Will Albo channel Morrison again and tell us tomorrow that after consulting with Jodie he now realizes that wasn’t the best line he could have used to deflect the accusation of lying?
Albo told the crowd that he asked to speak at the rally, but organizers told him he couldn’t. Williams could be heard interjecting in disgust, exclaiming “that’s a lie, that’s a total lie” before breaking down in tears.
She doubled down on the accusation on social media, also accusing the prime minister of using his title to “scare a young woman into letting him speak,” using his “right” by “aggressively declaring” when Williams asked the crowd if Albo should say a few words: “I am the Prime Minister of the country, I run this country.”
Anthony Albanese pictured during his speech at the Women’s March Against Gender Violence, while organizer Sarah Williams looks visibly upset (right)
This is a triumvirate of accusations that a prime minister can endure: aggression, intimidation and entitlement. All for being called a “liar.”
The Prime Minister has remained silent on all these allegations, but that is not enough. If he lied, he should admit it and apologize.
If it was a misunderstanding, you should tell us and explain how it happened. A prime minister’s office with a cricket team of media advisors, no less, should not allow incidents like this to happen.
Likewise, if Albo believes Williams is actually the liar, please have the courage to stand up for her integrity and call it out, rather than degrading us all by accusing her of being emotional and therefore allowing her to tell lies about the Australian Prime Minister .
Presumably, that’s the implicit accusation he’s leveling at her when he calls her emotional for her scathing comment about him.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese appears at a rally to call for action to end violence against women, in Canberra, Sunday, April 28, 2024.
For a prime minister who won the last election thanks to a record show of support from Australian women, finding himself in this awkward position is far from ideal with just a year to go until the election.
Especially when not telling the truth is already a fair criticism of Albo after his unfulfilled promise in stage three: tax cuts and new taxes on retirement.
And especially considering that the main problem I had with the way Morrison was running the country was his willingness to be flexible with the truth when it suited him politically and not answer fair questions, just as Albo is doing now.
Is history repeating itself?
Event organizer Sarah Williams was visibly upset after her interaction with Mr Albanese and has since branded him a liar.
