Politics

News Corp Is Having A Field Day With Albo’s COVID Diagnosis

Albo has had COVID for one day and of course the media has already called him "Albasneezy".

by Charles Rushforth  22 April 2022

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Tabloid newspapers have preyed upon Labor leader Anthony Albanese’s recent COVID diagnosis with some of the worst puns ever witnessed on a front page headline.

Albanese confirmed the diagnosis in a statement last night, saying that he tested positive on a PCR test prior to travelling to campaign in Western Australia. “While at home I will continue my responsibilities as alternative Prime Minister and will be fighting for a better future for all Australians,” Albanese said in a statement.

Meanwhile, tabloid media wasted no time this morning trying to convert the diagnosis into political point-scoring. The Herald Sun opted to lump their coverage of Albanese’s COVID-19 diagnosis after the first federal debate in Brisbane under the headline “Albo Queezy”, while the Western Australian ran with “Alba Sneezy”.

Instead of simply grasping at the low-hanging fruit of pun’s relating to the Labor leader’s last name, another News Corp publication, The Advertiser, simply ran a front page article titled “COVID Stops Sick Albo’s Campaign”.

While publications have been quick to jump to the conclusion that Albanese’s COVID-19 diagnosis has thrown the Labor party into chaos, the ABC recalled US President Joe Biden’s was  successfully able to utilise a “bunker” strategy of campaigning remotely during the US election of 2020.

As this year’s Federal election length will span a total six weeks, Albanese will still have another three weeks of campaigning after he comes out of isolation next week.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison wished Albanese “all the best for his recovery” in a statement on Twitter yesterday evening.