It must bring a sense of relief to Brisbane residents knowing that the Prime Minister has jetted into town to personally spearhead the response to Cyclone Alfred. Using all his knowledge about how to help out.
Carefully crafted press conferences to update the nation on what's happening, and how his government is responding, will be important too no doubt. Sarcasm aside, Anthony Albanese will have to tread very carefully in the days ahead. He wants to call the election on Sunday for April 12, but might have to delay doing so if the situation in southeast Queensland and northern NSW is critical. He could call it on Monday for April 12, but after that he's stuck having to delay the election which probably means having to hand down a budget he'd been hoping to put off until after Australians case their vote.
Albo had also planned to jet across the Nullarbor over the weekend to share in the WA Labor victory at Saturday's state election. A perfect backdrop to the start of his own campaign for re-election in a state that he must do well in to have any chance of hanging onto government.
But Albo can't do that now. Deserting the people of Brisbane in their time of need to fly into WA for a photo opportunity is a definite no. Anxious residents fill sand bags on the Gold Coast ahead of Cyclone Alfred's landfall. Natural disasters can be political opportunities for politicians when things go the right way. But when they don't, the political disaster can match the natural disaster.
It was hubris on stilts to think he could get away with such a move. John Howard wouldn't take overseas family holidays during his prime ministership, lest he looked out of touch to mainstream voters.
