There’s always a post-election honeymoon period when a newly elected PM has the time, space and energy to play nice with the news media. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been busy, clocking up 28 one-on-one media interviews spanning radio and TV (including four appearances on Sky News) during the seven weeks since being sworn in on May 23, 2022. That doesn’t include doorstops and press conferences.
There’s been much to discuss: Russia’s assault on Ukraine, China’s agenda in the Pacific, NATO, and relations with France. And on the home front, there’s been flood disasters, cost-of-living pressures, and food shortages (to name but a few national crises).
What do we learn about Albanese’s media messaging in comparison with his predecessor?
Compared with the victorious Scott Morrison’s first seven weeks in 2019, Albanese has been positively verbose. Morrison, fresh from his miracle victory over Bill Shorten, kept the media wanting with only seven media interviews.
Of course, Morrison was by this stage a known entity, having taken over the prime ministership in the 2018 leadership spill. And as electoral history records, he came into government very light on policy, and the PM seemed to have decided less (talking) was more. He had a honeymoon — from the journalists.
But that wasn’t always the case. Back in 2018, when Morrison officially took over from Malcolm Turnbull, his first seven weeks in the role looked very much like Albanese’s. In fact, he was busier. The former treasurer had 40 media interviews — 15 on TV, 25 on radio.
Interestingly, both Albanese and Morrison as first-time PMs paid their dues to the ABC with 10 interviews, including a ceremonial cross-examination from 7.30’s Leigh Sales.
Relations between the Coalition and the ABC famously retracted to the extent the broadcaster didn’t even get a look in for a leaders debate this year. It’s likely that Albanese’s enthusiasm for the public broadcaster lasts longer than Morrison’s. But who knows?
