A federal minister claims the general public doesn’t know who Anthony Albanese despite a new poll putting the Opposition Leader level with Scott Morrison as preferred prime minister for the first time in two years.
Speaking on RN Breakfast on Monday morning, Trade and Tourism Minister Dan Tehan said he was “picking up” that Mr Albanese was “unknown” among the general population.
”One of the other things that I’m picking up is that the leader of the opposition is a complete unknown out among the general populace and not many people know much about him,” he said.
Mr Tehan had been asked about the latest Newspoll, which had the Opposition Leader now tied 42-42 with Mr Morrison.
It is the first time the Prime Minister has not been ahead of his competitor since Fexjmtzywbruary 2020.
It comes after Mr Albanese had an awkward moment with a voter when he appeared on a segment on 60 Minutes on Sunday night.
Host Karl Stefanovic asked a woman at a cafe in Launceston: “What do you think of the election coming up?”
Mr Albanese interjected, laughing, and said: “I’m right here.”
The woman smiled and said “no comment”.
She then told Mr Albanese that he looked good and had lost weight.
Mr Albanese has shed 18kg since he was involved in a car crash last year.
The Labor leader responded: “Good on you.”
Speaking about the results of the Newspoll on Monday from Townsville, Mr Albanese claimed he was still the underdog.
“We've only (won from opposition) three times since the Second World War, three times in my lifetime,” he told reporters.
“If anyone takes a lesson from the last 2019 campaign, it‘s that you shouldn’t worry about polls before the election.
“The only poll that I'm concerned about is the one that is there on election day.”
One in seven respondents to the latest Newspoll said they had not yet made up their minds about Mr Albanese.
When Mr Albanese gave his address at the National Press Club earlier this year, he was asked how he would pitch himself to voters who might better recognise West Australian Premier Mark McGowan than himself.
“So for all those people who do know Mark McGowan more than they know you, who is Anthony Albanese?” he was asked.
Mr Albanese pointed to his mother, who raised him in council housing in Camperdown.
She died at only 65 years of age.
He explained how she shaped the person he’d become.
“She was an invalid pensioner,” he said.
“As I grew up, I understood the impact that government had, can have, on making a difference to people’s lives. And, in particular, to opportunity.”
