Anthony Albanese has urged Australians to go about the Easter weekend as normal, but warned about grim times ahead and tougher measures to conserve fuel in a rare address to the nation. Source: SMH.
Mr Albanese’s message to the nation last night will be followed by a National Press Club speech today in which he will pledge $1 billion for interest-free loans for struggling businesses amid fears of a recession.
While the Prime Minister’s Press Club speech was planned weeks ago, he decided this week to use the address to the nation to speak directly to voters about the war, opting for a sombre delivery that marked a significant change to more upbeat messaging earlier this week.
“The months ahead may not be easy. I want to be upfront about that,” Mr Albanese declared in a three-and-a-half minute speech broadcast last night at 7pm, the first national address since Scott Morrison’s pandemic message in 2020, days before nationwide lockdowns began.
Mr Albanese said Australians should “go about your business and your life as normal” over Easter.
“”Enjoy your Easter and if you’re hitting the road, don’t take more fuel than you need, just fill up like you normally would,” he said. “And over coming weeks, if you can switch to catching the train or bus or tram to work, do so.
“That builds our reserves and it saves fuel for people who have no choice but to drive.”
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said Mr Albanese’s address to the nation was just “a rerun of Monday’s press conference”, and didn’t have the detail Australians needed.
FULL STORY
Albanese calls for calm as world sits on edge of grim economic future (By Paul Sakkal and James Massola, SMH)
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