Anthony Albanese slams Scott Morrison’s leaked texts scandal in Alan Jones interview

Anthony Albanese has claimed Scott Morrison has lost faith with the world’s most prominent leaders after a global scandal.

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Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has torn into Scott Morrison in a Monday night appearance on Alan Jones’ nightly election show.

Speaking on the topic of foreign co-operation, Mr Albanese suggested Mr Morrison had lost faith with world leaders following the fallout to his submarine deal fiasco with French president Emmanuel Macron.

In November 2021, Macron said, “I don’t think, I know,” when quizzed by journalists if he thought the Prime Minister had lied to him about the cancellation of the $90bn submarine contract.

Less than 24 hours after the French President publicly accused the Prime Minister of lying, private text correspondence emerged undermining Mr Macron’s account.

The text messages were provided as evidence by an unnamed source to prove that Mr Macron knew long ago the subs deal was in trouble.

“Macron messaged the Prime Minister to say that he was not available at the time Australia was seeking for a call and said, ‘Should I expect good or bad news for our joint submarine ambitions?’” the report stated.

Jones immediately probed Albanese on how he would represent Australia differently on the world stage, claiming voters were “genuinely worried” about the image the Labor leader would present.

“As Prime Minister you would represent the nation around the world and even though they might dislike the Morrison government, they’re genuinely worried it seems about Anthony Albanese being Australia’s face to the world. How do you address that?” Jones asked.

Mr Albanese immediately turned the question into a criticism of Scott Morrison and his public falling-out with Mr Macron.

“Well, I‘ll tell you one thing I wouldn’t do … leak private text messages from other national leaders from our allies and that occurred, of course, with Emmanuel Macron with Mr Morrison,” he said, before citing his own experience dealing with foreign leaders.

“I think that will cause world leaders to really pause in their engagement with him. And that was a real concern.

“I have represented Australia at the first ever G20 meeting. I know President Biden; I know our allies; I have met Prime Minister (Boris) Johnson – I wouldn‘t say that I know him well, but I met him when he was leader of the London Council.

“I‘ve been engaged in international forums for a considerable period of time as a senior minister in the former Labour government.”

Mr Albanese closed the margin on the Prime Minister on Monday, as early voting opened for Australians unable to attend a ballot next weekend.

According to an exclusive Newspoll conducted for The Australian, popular support for Labor increased by one point to 39 per cent, while the Coalition has fallen one point to 35 per cent.

It is the largest margin the Opposition has held over the Morrison Government since the beginning of the campaign. Labor also slightly extended the gap to 54 to 46 in the two-party preferred poll, after it held firm at 53 to 47 for weeks.

It came as Scott Morrison compared Anthony Albanese’s campaign to a job interview, declaring the Labor leader does not “deserve” to run the nation.

Mr Morrison said a series of mistakes from Albanese at public events, including on Labor’s aged care policy, was proof Mr Albanese is unequipped for the role.

“If you are having a job interview and you ask them – there is something you need to know about the economy if you want to run it. What is the unemployment rate? What is the cash rate? Didn‘t know,” Mr Morrison said while campaigning in the southern NSW electorate of Gilmore.

“His aged care policy will shut down aged care facilities across the country because he doesn‘t know how to get the nurses. His health care policy – he said was costed but it was un-costed.

“He couldn‘t understand what his own policy putting forward on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, he couldn’t explain that to you.

“That doesn‘t sound like a person who deserves a second interview, let alone the job.”

Originally published as Anthony Albanese slams Scott Morrison’s leaked texts scandal in Alan Jones interview