Anthony Albanese has struck a blow on a tennis court to end a eventful first week as Prime Minister with Labor pundits comparing his leadership style to that of Bob Hawke.
A week after Labour’s long-awaited return to power, Albanese donned a white shirt, blue shorts and his favorite white Rabbitohs cap to play tennis at the Marrickville Lawn Tennis Club on Saturday.
Deputy Grayndler showed decent technique as he served and moved freely around the court during a doubles game at the Sydney Badge tennis competition, stopping occasionally to take phone calls in a courtside seat.
He has competed in several competitions for the club in the past, wearing their official shirt while playing in relatively low level matches.
Albanese playing tennis at the local club is a demonstration of the quality that Labor pundits believe will make him an exceptionally good prime minister, with several comparing his down-to-earth approach to that of former prime minister Hawke.
Albanese donned a white shirt, blue shorts and his favorite white Rabbitohs cap to play tennis at the Marrickville Lawn Tennis Club on Saturday.
The Labor leader is believed to have received tennis instruction in the past from former professional tennis player John Alexander, one of Albanese’s political opponents before he retired as MP for Bennelong before the last election.
Deputy Grayndler showed decent technique while serving and moving freely around the court during a doubles game with friends.
Albanese stopped playing occasionally to answer phone calls on the court
Lachlan Harris, a former senior official under Kevin Rudd, said Albanese would operate very differently to his predecessor.
“We’ve had an era of hyper-professional, hyper-scripted, politically predictable politicians on both sides,” Harris said. Sydney Morning Herald.
‘He’s a break from that. “The deep and abiding authenticity of him and the real empathy of him for people… is his greatest political asset and you can build a premiership around that.”
Labor’s Tony Burke said his “leadership style” and “authenticity” would be similar to Hawke’s.
Former Labor minister Greg Combet added: “He will be more like Hawke in the way he runs the cabinet.” There are plenty of talented people (in the proposed ministry) who have had ministerial and cabinet experience.’
Albanese shares a love of sport with former prime ministers including John Howard, who went for walks regularly, and Tony Abbott, who went swimming in his spare time.
The Labor leader is believed to have received tennis instruction in the past from former professional tennis player John Alexander, one of Albanese’s political opponents before he retired as MP for Bennelong before the last election.
Albanese has previously promoted tennis as a great sport for “your mental health.”
‘It’s a very simple game; hit a ball over the net between the lines, but you have to concentrate the whole time,” he said Mercury Illawarra.
‘You can’t be thinking about other things. Whereas if you’re in a movie you might be thinking about the press conference you have to give tomorrow, or about a specific political issue you’re facing.’
Albanese was seen moments earlier leaving his home in Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner west, carrying his racket and tennis equipment in a bag.
He was wearing a cap supporting his favorite NRL team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Albanese was seen moments earlier leaving his home in Marrickville, in Sydney’s inner west, carrying his racket and tennis equipment in a bag.
He was wearing a cap supporting his favorite NRL team, the Sydney Rabbitohs.
Albanese has been a lifelong supporter of the club and appeared in federal parliament in 1999 to table a series of motions, including a call for the NRL to include South Sydney in the 2000 competition after the team was expelled. .
Since returning from the important Quad meeting in Tokyo on Wednesday, Albanese appears to be running the country from his humble home in Marrickville as he waits for former prime minister Scott Morrison to leave the prime minister’s official residences The Lodge in Canberra and Kirribilli House. In Sydney.
The inner west local was seen picking up the paper in his pajamas twice last week, while on Friday he hosted senior government officials, including Stephanie Foster, the new Secretary of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, at his home.
On Saturday it appeared Morrison was finally moving out of Kirribilli House after he was seen leaving the residence with one of his daughters.
Albanese has been a lifelong supporter of the South Sydney Rabbitohs and stood in federal parliament in 1999 to table a series of motions, including a call for the NRL to include the team in the 2000 competition after its expulsion.
He sported the club’s official shirt, having previously represented it to a relatively low grade at the Sydney Badge Tennis Competition.
Albanese ended his first week as premier with a tennis match in Marrickville.
On Saturday it looked like Morrison was finally moving out of Kirribilli after he was seen leaving the residence with one of his daughters (pictured, Morrison is sporting a Cronulla Sharks cap).
The former prime minister appeared to be in a sporting mood, as was Albanese, as he wore a Cronulla Sharks cap before getting behind the wheel of his Volkswagen.
Morrison has had a full week to vacate the heritage-listed mansion since he lost the election and resigned as leader of the Liberal Party last Saturday.
Albanese was sworn in as the new prime minister on Monday and wasted no time in carrying out his duties as he flew to attend the Quad meeting in Tokyo, where he met US President Joe Biden.
The prime minister was also quick to send Foreign Minister Penny Wong to Fiji in his first week in office to show the new government’s attention to the Pacific islands.
Morrison got behind the wheel of his Volkswagen while one of his daughters sat in the passenger seat as the couple left Kirribilli House on Saturday.
Albanese was sworn in as the new prime minister on Monday and wasted no time in carrying out his duties as he flew to the Quad meeting in Tokyo, where he met US President Joe Biden.
“We need to respond to this as China seeks to increase its influence in the region of the world where Australia has been the preferred security partner since World War II,” Albanese said.
Albanese said “Australia dropped the ball” in its relations with the islands, largely because of Morrison’s stance on climate change, and pledged to re-engage with them.
Many low-lying Pacific islands see climate change as their most pressing and existential threat, while Morrison remained a strong supporter of Australia’s coal industry.
“We need to offer more support and otherwise we will see the consequences of the agreement that was made with the Solomon Islands,” he said. “We know China sees this as the first of many.”
At home, Albanese has already been working to deliver on his election promises and his department is working on a submission to the Fair Work Commission to increase the minimum wage.