Anthony Albanese asked Media not to Film him Wearing Joy Division T-shirt while Disembarking from Plane after US Trip
By Patrick Staveley
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is under fire after it was revealed he asked the media not to film him while he was leaving his plane wearing a Joy Division T-shirt after his US trip.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asked the media not to film him when leaving his plane wearing a Joy Division T-shirt, Sky News has revealed.
Mr Albanese met US President Donald Trump in Washington last week for the first bilateral meeting between the pair, but the Prime Minister came under scrutiny for his choice of clothing when leaving his VIP plane after coming home.
Sky News host Sharri Markson revealed on Tuesday the Prime Minister was tired and didn’t want to put on a suit.
She said Mr Albanese did not want to be filmed wearing the Joy Division T-shirt.
The name of Joy Division, a highly successful but short-lived band from 1976 to 1980, was derived from the translated name of brothel systems in Nazi concentration camps.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese asked the media not to film him when leaving his plane upon returning from the United States, Sky News has revealed.
It has since been revealed Mr Albanese had known the meaning of the band’s name, after being told on a podcast three years ago about the origins of the name.
“Now I initially gave Albanese the benefit of the doubt and assumed he didn’t know the meaning of the band name. That would be fair enough. But then it turned out that industry figure Nigel Marsh told him precisely what it meant just three years ago while he was campaigning to be prime minister,” Markson said on her Sky News program on Tuesday.
“As I said last night – you can’t edit history or delete the truth because it’s not convenient to you. So despite knowing the meaning of the T-Shirt, Albanese chose to wear it disembarking after the most important trip of his career – to meet the President of the United States.”
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley demanded an apology from the Prime Minister.
Opposition Leader Sussan Ley raised the issue in parliament on Tuesday, demanding an apology from the Prime Minister.
“At a time when Jewish Australians are facing a rise in anti-Semitism, when families are asking for reassurance and unity, the Prime Minister chose to parade an image derived from hatred and suffering,” she said.
“He understood and still, he wore the T-shirt.
“So to wear that name across your chest is not just a statement of musical taste and it is more than bad taste, it raises questions about values – the wrong values.”
Markson also insisted the Prime Minister should apologise.
“Will he apologise? How can he not? Wearing this T-Shirt sends a strong signal to antisemites. It’s deeply insensitive,” she said.
“And as Sussan Ley says, he can’t claim ignorance – because he’s on record knowing what it means.”
