John Howard responds to Albanese's early campaign blunder
After a less than desirable start to the Labor party's federal election campaign, Anthony Albanese has found an unlikely ally in John Howard.
When the Labor leader was unable to name either the unemployment rate or the RBA cash rate at a press conference on Monday, the Liberal party was quick to jump on the blunder.
Albanese apologised and said "I'm not sure what it is" before Labor finance spokeswoman Katy Gallagher correctly answered the question.
The RBA cash rate is at 0.1 per cent while unemployment currently sits at four per cent.
Mr Albanese later "fessed up" to the error, saying he was "only human" and that when he made a mistake he owned up to it.
‘Earlier today, I made a mistake. I’m human - but when I make a mistake, I’ll fess up to it’ - Opposition leader @AlboMP has addressed his earlier stumble, when he couldn’t say the cash rate or unemployment rate #auspol @9NewsAUS #ausvotes pic.twitter.com/DS1RiPfzGQ
— Fiona Willan (@Fi_Willan) April 11, 2022
Despite the Morrison government using the blunder as leverage against the opposition leader, former PM John Howard, who is back on the campaign trail 15 years after he left office, brushed off Albo's mistake, asking if it was a "serious question".
"Anthony Albanese didn't know the unemployment (rate)," he said.
"Alright, so what?"
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mr Howard guessed the rate had a "three" in front of it before Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt, who the former PM was campaigning for, said the rate was falling.
At Scott Morrison's press conference, which was held after Anthony Albanese's where the error took place, the PM seemingly had no issues answering the same questions.
"Well 0.1 per cent is the cash rate, has been for some time," Mr Morrison said.
"The unemployment rate, I'm happy to say is 4 per cent, falling to a 50-year low."
Image credits: Getty Images