Government MPs are jumping to the defence of Anthony Albanese over his decision to address the UK Labour Party's annual conference.
The prime minister wrapped up his visit to Great Britain following the event, promising to defend democracy and issuing a rallying cry aimed at building support for his beleaguered counterpart, Keir Starmer.
"What I see here in UK Labour, is the same determination that I know lives in every member of Australian Labor," he told the conference in the city of Liverpool on Sunday.
"An absolute resolve to stand together and defend democracy itself."
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Sir Keir has been struggling to keep his government together and is facing pressure in the polls from Nigel Farage's hard-right populist Reform UK party.
The federal coalition has been highly critical of the prime minister's appearance, saying he shouldn't have spoken at a political event because he was travelling on the taxpayer's dime.
Liberal senator Maria Kovacic labelled it an "exercise in vanity".
"This isn't a visit about things that are better for Australians," she told Sky News on Monday.
Sir Keir Starmer welcomed Anthony Albanese to Labour's conference. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
"This is a visit from one Labor Party leader to another, to go to the Labour Party conference in the UK, to actually be a special guest star."
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But senior minister Tanya Plibersek defended the prime minister, saying the opposition was being "really childish".
"It's been a successful visit," she told Seven's Sunrise program.
"The prime minister also met with the UK opposition leader ... he's also met with the Spanish prime minister, the Canadian prime minister, King Charles, a range of other leaders in the UK."
Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce said Mr Albanese should look at the flag on his VIP jet.
"It's the Australian flag, not the ALP flag," he told Seven.
"He should reflect on who pays for that plane to go to that conference - it's not the Labor Party, it's the Australian taxpayer ... (it) doesn't stack up."
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Mr Albanese's final stop on his way back to Australia is to the United Arab Emirates, where he'll spruik a free-trade deal signed in 2024.
Former Australian Labor prime minister Julia Gillard, who Mr Albanese called "a Labor legend", was also at the conference.
Julia Gillard was lauded by Anthony Albanese in his speech. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)
"In government, I value the opportunities we have to work together and get results, to take action together on issues that matter to our two nations and to the wider world," Mr Albanese said in his speech.
"From standing together with the 'coalition of the willing' to help secure peace on Ukraine's terms ... and working together to break the cycle of violence in the Middle East and build something better by recognising the state of Palestine."
[SRC] https://au.news.yahoo.com/problems-solved-pms-rally-call-173000802.html
