Doing a good job

New Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese was being interviewed on television tonight, and it was so refreshing for him to talk about making Australia more inclusive. This was in stark contrast to the previous prime minister, who had a tin ear for those less fortunate than himself.

Anthony Albanese was raised in public housing in a working-class Sydney suburb by his mother on a disability pension. He was born after a fling between his mom, an Australian of Irish heritage, and his Italian father on a voyage from Sydney to Southampton, England. As a result, he has an affinity for the working class, is a veteran of his centre-left party and is an uncharismatic campaigner who overcame stumbles to topple a divisive opponent.

Anthony Albanese expressed no interest in leading his party or country for almost two decades. Instead, he steadily rose up the ranks, helping to hold a minority Labor government together. When Labor lost the election in 2013, a senior party figure urged him to have a crack at the leadership, but Albanese lost. He got another chance in 2019 after Labor suffered a shock upset. One month in as prime minister, I feel he is doing a good job.