Anthony Albanese lambasted a journalist during an explosive press conference where he was quizzed on his gaffes and asked how he will stand up to Xi Jinping.
The Labor leader – who has been called ‘weak’ by Scott Morrison – appeared fired-up up during the presser in his home suburb of Marrickville, inner west Sydney.
In one tense exchange he ripped into a reporter who asked him several times if he can guarantee no funding cuts to health, education or the NDIS.
Anthony Albanese (pictured) lambasted a journalist during a fiery press conference where he was quizzed on his gaffes and asked how he will stand up to Xi Jinping
Mr Albanese initially replied: ‘Labor will always be better on health, education and NDIS’ before the journalist said: ‘That is not a guarantee you won’t cut it though, Mr Albanese?’
The Labor leader then said he has committed ‘additional funding’ for those areas but the reporter again asked him to guarantee no cuts.
At that point Mr Albanese fired up, saying: ‘Wait. Seriously. This is an example of what putting people off politics.
‘You cannot have a clearer answer than that Labor is putting additional funding into health, education and the NDIS, and we stand by it.
‘And you know what puts people off politics? That sort of word game. It can’t be clearer. We stand by our additional funding that. That is not a cut. That is more funding.’
Mr Albanese also dodged a question on whether he made a mistake on Thursday by failing to outline his six-point plan for the NDIS until an advisor handed him a policy document.
Faced with constant interruptions, he told the journalists: ‘I’m in charge’.
The Labor leader – who has been called ‘weak’ by Scott Morrison – appeared fired-up up during the presser in his home suburb of Marrickville, inner west Sydney
Mr Albanese scrapped with the journalists, telling them ‘I’m in charge’ during the presser
Mr Albanese’s Labor colleagues have accused the press pack of ‘gotcha journalism’ for asking him to name his six-point plan for the NDIS.
But Mr Albanese insisted: ‘People are entitled to ask questions’.
One journalist said: ‘If you can’t stand up to us, how can you stand up to Xi Jinping?’ – which he ignored.
Mr Albanese was also quizzed on his health after he isolated with Covid last week, with one reporter accusing him of needing an ‘afternoon nap’.
Asked if he is ‘still going to need to rest into polling day’ Mr Albanese said Covid ‘has an impact doesn’t it’.
The reporter replied: ‘I haven’t needed to have a nap in the afternoon, you’re running to be Prime Minister. The question is, are you match fit going into polling day?’
The Labor leader then reeled off a list of engagements he had undertaken to prove he is match fit.
Australian Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese and former Australian soccer player Craig Foster help volunteers packing food hamper boxes during a visit to Addison Road Community Centre in Marrickville
Earlier on Friday Allison Langdon blasted Mr Albanese for his NDIS gaffe.
In an interview with Labor deputy leader Richard Marles on the Today show, the Channel Nine host said: ‘I reckon detail is his kryptonite’.
In his press conferences this week Mr Albanese has been deferring questions about Labor policies to the shadow minister responsible, leading to accusations that he’s not across the details.
On Thursday he was unable to name his six-point plan for the NDIS and had to read from a policy document which an advisor handed to him off camera.
One Labor MP speaking anonymously said he ‘needs to get across the details’ and another described the presser as a ‘train-wreck’.
Langdon said: ‘It’s not just yesterday, it happened on Monday and Tuesday as well just this week.’
Mr Marles then stuttered as he tried to defend his leader’s gaffes before saying: ‘It’s not a pop quiz. We’ve got policies on our website.’
Langdon cut him off and said: ‘So hang on, what do you mean by that… detail is not important is that what you’re saying?’
Marles replied: ‘At the end of the day this is contest about ideas and when you’re talking about the NDIS the issue there is that people with a disability are no longer in the centre of the system.’
Defence Minister Peter Dutton said the gaffe showed it was a ‘huge risk’ to vote Labor.
‘You risk what we’ve got in our country at the moment to a complete unknown and frankly someone who is he is not up to the task,’ he said.
Mr Albanese on Thursday faced a pack of reporters in Sydney where, in response to a barrage of questions, he failed to outline his six-point NDIS plan.
He could only say ‘we will put people a the centre of the NDIS’ before one reporter shouted: ‘You do not know your own policy Mr Albanese’.
After a few more questions on different topics, Mr Albanese went off camera and journalists saw an advisor hand him a document.
Allison Langdon (pictured) has blasted Anthony Albanese after he failed to recall one of his key policies
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