The Guardian - Friday election briefing: Covid benches Albanese as Morrison tries his hand at coffee

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Friday election briefing: Covid benches Albanese as Morrison tries his hand at coffee – plus Jacqui Lambie’s ‘milkshake’

Link [2022-04-22 20:54:50]

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Anthony Albanese has Covid. He was conspicuous by his absence on Friday, the day after his virus diagnosis, as Labor scrambled to enact the plans they’d war-gamed out for the almost inevitable event that he’d be struck down.

Shadow ministers stepped up, the wheels on the media bus went round and round without Albanese, and talk turned to whether we’d see the leader pop up via online appearances or iPad presence at press conferences. It’s bad luck and bad timing, just as he got the first clear air and momentum of the campaign. It is also a historic spanner in the works; the first time in living memory a party leader has been taken out in the middle of an election.