Anthony Albanese has vowed to not give up on Indigenous reconciliation in the new year, while revealing his biggest political wins during his second year of leadership and rubbishing reports of tasting a $500 bottle of wine as “complete nonsense”.
The prime minister helped serve up Christmas meals to vulnerable people at the Ashfield Uniting Church in his inner-western Sydney electorate on Monday morning.
Mr Albanese joined volunteers from the Bill Crew’s Foundation, a charity which provides free meals to thousands of homeless and disadvantaged Australians every week.
“So many people are doing it tough and we are very conscious of that,” Mr Albanese told 2GB.
“I find year after year, there’s some people who are homeless who are here. There are others who are just lonely or want to spend with others – and that’s why it’s such an amazing service.”
Earlier, Mr Albanese visited his late mother’s grave at Rookwood Cemetery in Sydney’s west before gifting his long-time partner Jodie Hayden with some jewellery.
He said there was “no announcement” of an imminent engagement.
“Santa was good to me. I got a telescope and some records – some vinyl. Which was good,” he said.
Reflecting on his second year as leader, Mr Albanese said he did not consider the defeat of the Indigenous Voice referendum in October a political loss for him – but one for Indigenous people.
He said his government was committed to provide for closing the gap in 2024 and vowed to “double down” on providing practical support to towards reconciliation.
“I do think that it was disappointing for First Nations people but they’re used to hardship. It’s been the case for 200 years,” he said.
Mr Albanese said he was most proud of his government’s $23bn cost-of-living relief package and Labor’s efforts to restore trade relations with China.
He pressed the year had been a “tough time” due to high global inflation and said it had taken considerable effort to turn around what was a big budget deficit.
The prime minister also slammed reports that he had drunk a $500 bottle of wine while on holidays in Western Australia last week.
“Complete nonsense,” Mr Albanese said.
“We paid our own, flew over commercially, stayed in a place, went to Coles on the way and got stuff for lunch … and we went wine tasting as everyone else does.
“We got the same as everyone else got there – no special treatment. Just a beat up, quite frankly.”