Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has insisted his confrontation with alt-right media figures in a hotel lobby will not deter him from making public appearances during the election campaign.
In a video circulated on far-right social media accounts yesterday, two men approached Albanese in the lobby of his Melbourne hotel, demanding answers on immigration and housing.
Footage shows one of them interrupting Albanese as he talks with one of his staff, saying: “There are hundreds of thousands of Australians around the country, who are unable to afford housing … when are you going to put Australians first?”
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The staffer asks the man his name before members of the prime minister’s security detail turn up, pushing away the man.
Then a second man shown in the video shouts after Albanese in the lobby: “Albo, how do you feel about the rise in immigration, mate? Do you think it’s fair?”
The man then starts to argue with the prime minister’s security officers.
The group Melbourne Freedom Rally claimed responsibility for ambushing Albanese in the hotel and demanding answers about housing.
The video has raised concerns about how the group knew where the prime minister was staying, which was supposed to be confidential.
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The prime minister today refused to comment about how the protesters discovered where the media appearances are.
“I have faith in the AFP. As I’ve said before, I have no intention of going into security discussions – that’s not in the interests of security.”
Albanese also insisted the encounter would not deter him from getting out and about on the election campaign trail.
“I’ve engaged with people … I went for a walk around Adelaide. Adelaide mall was terrific. I went for a walk around Perth as well,” he said.
“And I think it’s really important, and it’s something that I’ve done. I go into uncontrolled environments.”
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