Key Points
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has imitated the iconic So Fresh CD series in a controversial social media post.
- The cover of the mock album reads “very useful” with a list of his government’s initiatives to reduce the cost of living.
- Angry Australians said the message was tone deaf and his media team should be sacked.
In the midst of a crippling cost of living crisis, some people are wondering how Anthony Albanese was allowed to post a “cringy” photo that some said was a joke about people’s financial struggles.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Prime Minister posted a photo on accompanied by the words, “A new album has just been released”.
Instead of the best songs, the album cover lists government initiatives including “tax cuts for every Australian taxpayer”, “$300 off electricity bills”, “cheaper medicines” and “more paid parental leave”.
And instead of photos of artists, illustrated speech bubbles feature the faces of smiling Australians.
Within hours, the post had attracted more than 2,000 comments. Many said the post was insensitive to the financial struggles so many people are currently experiencing, with some X users wondering if the post came from a parody account.
“This is really cringe-inducing,” one said.
“The cost of living crisis is no joke!” read another one.
“This makes you look downright stupid. Do you honestly think you can buy Australians who have humanity in their hearts. This ad is the craziest thing I have ever seen. Are you kidding me- there Anthony.
Another called the post “childish trash.”
“People are losing their homes because of you and what is your response?” it reads.
“You are shedding light on a situation that is currently happening in our country,” said another. “Whoever intern posted this, be better.”
Others called for the media team to be sacked, while a few added that young people might not even understand the reference.
“Come your social media advisor bro,” one person said.
“Kids these days never owned a CD and Gen X is unlikely to vote for you,” added another.
Despite the albums increasing popularity in recent years, So Fresh releases have been the best-selling compilation albums of the year in Australia every year from 2001 to 2011, 2014 to 2015 and 2017 to 2023, according to the Australian Recording Industry Association.
The furor comes after Albania’s government was criticized for some of its cost-of-living relief measures, including $300 rebates on energy, with fears people will not use the rebate on electricity bills but spend it elsewhere. .
This week adding that it no longer expects core inflation to return to its target range of 2 to 3 percent before December 2026.
Treasurer Jim Chalmers dismissed the concerns, saying the government was being “helpful”.
“Fiscal spending is not the main determinant of prices in the economy, but we can be, and are, helpful in designing our cost-of-living reduction policies that help us get back to a level higher life. [the 2 to 3 per cent inflation] target sooner,” Chalmers said Wednesday.
