Six months to a leaky vote? Only Albo knows
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was cranky this week after leaked internal messages revealed he was expanding his office “as we enter the election year”. So cranky that he dismissed it as “a beat up” on Sydney radio, at the same time his office was on a witch hunt to find out who leaked the messages.
In doing so, he also announced the 2025 budget would be brought forward to March, suggesting the government would serve the full three-year term, rather than holding a snap poll before Christmas.
His chief of staff, Tim Gartrell, fuelled speculation of an early election by sending private Signal messages to the entire office announcing the new appointment of a Labor veteran to a senior role.
Mr Gartrell sent the encrypted message to staff on Monday, saying David Epstein would be joining the office on March 4.
And then, whoopsie daisy, someone sent it to yours truly.
The leak shocked insiders, given that government phones traditionally have screenshots disabled for security reasons.
“I just want to give you a heads up on a new addition to the PMO,” the message read. “David Epstein will be joining the leadership of the office in the role of Principal Private Secretary (PPS). … This is an important role as we enter the election year…”
Federal cabinet was advised of the appointment of Mr Epstein, Kevin Rudd’s former chief of staff, this week.
Mr Gartrell then went on to suggest that 2024 could be “an election year” despite the fact the election is not due until 2025 – catching the eye of Labor staffers.
Of course, there is more than one way to interpret that time frame. With Mr Epstein starting work in March, an election any time straight after that budget would mean it was running more or less a full term.
The next day, Mr Albanese was very cross, calling the story a “beat up” – despite the fact the messages were there in black and white.
“If you look at the memo that came from my chief of staff, it’s about someone joining my staff, in March,” Mr Albanese told ABC Radio Sydney on Wednesday. “And the term ends in May next year.”
Mr Albanese has shaken up his office recently ahead of the election.
But he’s brushed aside recent speculation of any early election after announcing major changes to the Stage 3 tax cuts.
Just last month, he reiterated his support for four-year parliamentary terms as he fielded questions about the timing of the next election.
Confirming the election is not due until May 2025, Mr Albanese said he believed the lower house parliamentary terms were too short and he would like to see standardisation with the states, which have set four-year terms.
“I think that our terms are too short with just three years,” he said. “Our view, our long-term policy, and we’ve put it to the Australian people, is for four-year terms, but I don’t anticipate that happening any time soon and I think that’s unfortunate.”
Mr Epstein, meanwhile, is expected to bring some missing mongrel to the Prime Minister’s Office.
He began his career as a staffer to John Dawkins in the employment, education and training portfolio.
He then served as director of the ministerial media group and national media liaison service for Bob Hawke and Paul Keating, which was seen as the template for modern day “scrutiny units” in Australia – also known as “dirt units” and “opposition research”.
He was chief of staff to Kim Beazley when he was opposition leader, leaving the door open to speculation he may replace Tim Gartrell.
In June 2007, he was appointed chief of staff and principal adviser to Kevin Rudd. He resigned in late 2008 and went to Qantas in government and corporate affairs, and served on the Qantas executive committee.
He was recruited to BHP Billiton in late 2010 to a new role as head of group public affairs.
Some media reporting on the fact the Prime Minister was “rubbishing” claims of an early election missed the point. The point is the government is now on an election footing and also that the Prime Minister remains highly sensitive about leaks.