LIVE: Election 2025 – Albo close to tears about his single mum as he reveals what she had in common with billionaire Kerry Packer in his first major election pitch to voters

The Prime Minister choked back tears as he spoke movingly about his late mother and Australian values.

‘The Australian way is that we look after each other, is that we’re a country that in the language that we use with each other – fair dinkum, fair go – they’re part of the Australian lexicon,’ Mr Albanese told reporters.

He then held up a Medicare card, adding: This card is part of Australian values.’

‘The Australian values that say when Kerry Packer has a heart attack, he goes to the emergency department at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, the same hospital that I went to when I had my car accident when I was leader of the Labor Party in January 2020, got the same level of care,’ he added.

‘But more importantly than that. I was in the same room that my mum was in, when as an invalid pensioner, she got taken up the road, and she never left RPA.

‘But she got the same care that Kerry Packer got. They’re the Australian values. That’s what I’ll fight for.’

Mr Albanese insisted that he had a ‘consructive relationship’ with US Presdient Donald Trump.

‘We have been engaging on a daily basis with the administration,’ he said.’I received another briefing this morning and we’ll continue to engage constructively in Australia’s national interest.’

The Prime Minister was peppered with questions about how often he had spoken with Trump amid fears of impending, punitive US tariffs.

He insisted that he had held ‘two constructive discussions with President Trump’.

‘The way that international diplomacy works, is that people have discussions at the diplomatic level and then people come together when there is a solution and a resolution going forward,’ he said.

‘We have a constructive relationship. My Foreign Minister (Penny Wong, pictured below) has been to the US, was there at the inauguration, was one of the few – it was only the Quad foreign ministers who were there invited.’

Mr Albanese made a wry reference to Peter Dutton’s penchant for mirroring aspects of Trump’s new administration.

Inspired by the US President, the Opposition Leader has vowed to slash the number of public servants, force the remaining workers into the office five days a week, and cut unnecessary government spending.

The latter led to Mr Dutton appointing Jacinta Price as a shadow minister for government efficiency, a new role directly inspired by Elon Musk’s ‘Department of Government Effficiency’.

‘My fellow Australians, we live in the greatest country on Earth,’ Mr Albanese told reporters.

‘And we do not need to copy from any other nation to make Australia even better and stronger. We only need to trust in our values and back our people.’

He was later asked whether it was a reference to Trump but refused to explicity state it.

‘People will make their own judgements of course but people will have a look at the mass sackings of public servants and wonder…’, Mr Albanese responded.

Mr Albanese has sought to cast the election as a choice between ‘Labor’s plan to keep building or Peter Dutton’s promise to cut’.

‘That is your choice,’ the Prime Minister added, as he brandished a Medicare card.

‘Your job, your wages, your child’s education, and, importantly, as well, this thing here – your Medicare card – they’re all in your hands,’ he said.

‘Because only Labor has the plan to make you better off over the next three years. Only Labor is acting on the cost of living. Only a vote for Labor will keep your wages growing.’

Anthony Albanese has officially called the election for May 3, firing the starting gun on a five-week campaign.

‘Over the last few years, the world has thrown a lot at Australia,’ the Prime Minister told reporters.

‘In uncertain times, we cannot decide the challenges that we will face, but we can determine how we respond.

‘Our government has chosen to face global challenges the Australian way – helping people under cost-of-living pressure while building for the future.

‘Because of the strength and resilience that our people have shown, Australia is turning the corner. Now on 3 May, you choose the way forward.’

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made an early-morning visit to Government House to speak to Governor General Sam Mostyn to formally call the election for May 3.

The meeting with the Governor General lasted only around 20 minutes.

Mr Albanese waved at the waiting cameras and briskly walked towards his car before heading back to Parliament House.

It kicks off a frantic, five-week election campaign as the Labor leader bids for another three-year term.