Anthony Albanese is slammed for making a huge snub as PM tries to shake off unflattering nickname: 'Dereliction of duty'

Anthony Albanese is slammed for making a huge snub as PM tries to shake off unflattering nickname: 'Dereliction of duty' Prime Minister won't attend NATO summit Opposition called it a 'dereliction of duty' READ MORE: Voters turn on PM over four-word phrase By David Southwell For Daily Mail Australia Published: 23:20 EDT, 1 July 2024 | Updated: 23:20 EDT, 1 July 2024 e-mail View comments Anthony Albanese has been slammed after turning down an invitation to join a summit in the US. The Prime Minister will not join a select group of world leaders at a NATO summit in Washington later this month. Defence minister Richard Marles will instead attend the event and join leaders from the US, most western European countries, Japan , South Korea and New Zealand .

An unnamed source told the Sydney Morning Herald Mr Albanese's advisors warned him not to make the trip as his government is bucketed over the cost-of-living crisis. Concerns were reportedly raised the trip could add fuel to criticism about Mr Albanese's overseas travels - with the habit earning him the nickname 'Airbus Albo'. The unfortunate nickname began circulating on social media and eventually in Opposition commentary after the Prime Minister notched up 31 overseas trips in his first seven months in office.

Liberal Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham on Tuesday accused Mr Albanese of committing 'a dereliction of duty' by not going to the summit. 'The number one responsibility of a government is the national se.