Prime Minister Scott Morrison has been slammed for saying he isn’t “pretending” to be someone else, in an apparent swipe at Opposition leader Anthony Albanese’s new image.
In an appearance on Sky television on Monday night, Mr Morrison contrasted his appearance with that of Mr Albanese, who has lost 18 kilograms in the past year.
“I’m not pretending to be anyone else, " Mr Morrison said.
"We’re still wearing the same glasses. Sadly, the same suits. I weigh about the same size and I don’t mind a bit of Italian cake either. I’m happy in my own skin and I’m not pretending to be anyone else."
“And when you’re prime minister, you can’t pretend to be anyone else.
“You’ve got to know who you are because if you don’t know who you are, then how are on Earth other people going to know? And I think that’s the choice at this election.”
Mr Albanese recently shared that his weight loss and lifestyle transformation - through reducing his alcohol and carb intake and exercising regularly - was spurred by a serious car accident in January 2021.
Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese arrives at Perth Domestic Airport in Perth in March 2022. Source: AAP / RICHARD WAINWRIGHT/AAPIMAGE
And it has seemingly also captured the attention of the prime minister.
Mr Morrison received a round of applause from the studio audience for his comments on Monday night, but Nine News political reporter Chris O’Keefe called it “schoolyard” behaviour to go after someone’s appearance.
“I think it’s a bit of a low go from the prime minister,” Mr O’Keefe told Nine.
"That's a bit 'schoolyard stuff' isn't it - pointing at someone's appearance and having a go at someone's appearance.
Labor frontbencher and former party leader Bill Shorten suggested Mr Morrison’s comments were hypocritical.
“As for makeovers, I remember Mr Morrison before the last federal election. You know what, he seemed to get a new pair of glasses and did his best at a makeover,” he told Nine.
“I think the little green monster is sitting on Mr Morrison‘s shoulder and he is a bit jealous of Albo.”
On Monday night's show, Mr Morrison also took issue with the Opposition leader's comments last week where he said he wanted to govern like late former Prime Minister Bob Hawke.
"You can't all of a sudden turn up at an election and say, 'Oh, I'm not that person I was for 20 years or 30 years' and all of a sudden pretend you're everybody from John Howard, Bob Hawke or Kevin Rudd," he said.
The Prime Minister's office has been contacted for comment.
