PM too focused on foreign affairs, opposition says
The criticism comes after the Prime Minister pledged to recognise Palestine at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) next month.
Since announcing it on Monday, Mr Albanese has been both accused of 'rewarding terrorists' and praised for joining the global push to realise the rights of Palestinians.
In an op-ed published on Wednesday, the Opposition Leader repeated her criticism of Mr Albanese's declaration and said Australians 'expect their government to put their jobs, families and future first'.
'Australians are enduring the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation, yet you would not know it from the Prime Minister's priorities,' Ms Ley wrote in the Herald Sun.
'Mortgage repayments are up around $1800 a month, power bills have soared and groceries cost more and more.
'But Anthony Albanese seems more focused on foreign conflicts than the crisis in our own backyard.'
Ms Ley acknowledged the enormous number of deaths caused by the war in Gaza, where Israeli forces have been relentlessly pursuing Islamist militants behind the October 7, 2023 attacks.
Hamas, the group responsible, killed more than 1200 in the shock assault and took hundreds hostage.
The ensuing 22-month conflict has killed tens of thousands of people.
'The Coalition's position is clear: Israel has the right to defend itself, Hamas must release all hostages, humanitarian aid should reach those in need and the war must end,' Ms Ley said.
'Recognising a Palestinian state before hostages are freed and Hamas is defeated rewards terrorism, not peace.
'These are serious matters, but Australians expect their Prime Minister's first priority to be the kitchen tables of this country, not negotiating tables 12,000km away.
'Day after day, he appears fixated on one foreign policy issue to the exclusion of everything else.'
Ms Ley's criticisms come a day after the Reserve Bank cut interest rates a further 0.25 percentage points to 3.6 per cent amid the lowest inflation figures since 2021.
The Albanese government has also committed record funding to Medicare and passed both its signature student debt-slashing Bill and snap childcare safety reforms.
The war in Gaza has proven a major issue for Australians, many of whom have family members affected on both sides.
Just less two weeks ago, more than 100,000 protesters marched across the Sydney Harbour Bridge calling for an end to the bloodshed.
Ms Ley's op-ed also comes ahead of summit season – the final quarter of the year in which a series of major global meetings take place, such as the UNGA.
As a middle power with deep trade, defence and diplomatic ties spanning Asia to North America, it is normal for Australia to attend these summits.
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