Waleed Aly and Anthony Albanese clash over budget on The Project

The Project host Waleed Aly has had a huge clash with Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese on air during Wednesday night’s episode.

While discussing the federal budget, things got particularly heated.

Welcoming the politician on the show to discuss what went down, Carrie Bickmore kicked off the conversation.

“You must be happy to finally see a Labor budget?” she asked after the big-spending plan was revealed on Tuesday.

“It is not a Labor budget because it doesn’t increase wages. It doesn’t lift living standards,” Mr Albanese began. “It is not a Labor budget because it doesn’t set Australia up for the future.”

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“It has been a particularly tough year though,” said Bickmore. “They’ve had to navigate their way through a pandemic. Realistically, what could have been done differently?”

In response, Mr Albanese explained how when the global financial crisis occurred, the country had invested in infrastructure and things like paid parental leave.

“With this government, in spite of the massive expenditure, they’ve cut infrastructure investment over the next four years by $3.3 billion, but they’ve also set-up these little slush funds. They’ve set up with 21 separate funds, they have $4 billion attached to them and there is $9 billion in the budget over the next short little while which is decisions taken, but not announced,” he said.

“It is your money, taxpayers, but they won’t tell you what it will be spent on and you have got to suspect it will be very much devoted to the political map rather than people’s needs.”

Aly cut in, saying: “That’s a common line item in the budget, though.”

“I have never seen anything like it. I have been here a while. It is not common to have $9 billion,” an annoyed Mr Albanese answered.

“The amount, you can argue. It is not a scandalous line item. That’s a common one,” said Aly.

“It is not actually, but we’ll keep going,” said the Labor leader.

“Billions has been added to the NDIS, which you were saying was a Labor legacy,” Aly continued.

Mr Albanese responded: “They cut $4 billion in the budget just a little while ago. So put some of that back. That’s true. Some of the areas.”

“More than some. They put more than $4 billion back,” argued The Project co-host.

After a back and forth, Aly thanked the Opposition Leader for joining them on the show, seemingly sarcastically adding that they should have him on the show more.

After the politician left, Bickmore awkwardly asked if they could go to a break.

“Yes, I concur,” stated Aly.

Viewers on Twitter expressed their thoughts on the interaction, with many disagreeing with Aly’s approach.