Unintentional irony is always funny to see, especially in politics.
Late yesterday afternoon the Prime Minister tweeted about ‘shrinkflating’ in chip bags, complaining that there is now ‘more air in those chips in your chip bags’.
Fear not, Albo plans to tackle the problem head-on, telling his followers ‘we will solve it’ by imposing ‘stronger unit prices’.
With so much still to be done in this important policy area, the Prime Minister noted that there is ‘more to do’.
But Albo wanted Australians to know he was on the case: “We’ll keep working to get you a fair deal at the checkout.”
What a relief!
The 5pm tweet came as state governments in NSW and Victoria grapple with looming protests across the Middle East that risk breaking the law, in the wake of the continued escalation of tensions between Israel and Iran.
I don’t know if Albo had just taken the opportunity to crack open a bag of Smiths crisps to end his working week a day early – ahead of the Labor Day long weekend in his home state of NSW – due to his disappointment with the lack of nutrients coming his way.
Fear not, Albo plans to tackle the shrinkflation problem head on – even though his unit pricing solution has been around for more than a decade
Here’s Albo’s dramatic announcement
Or perhaps the tweet was just an attempt to connect with the daily challenges faced by Australians who don’t enjoy the Prime Minister’s hefty six-figure salary.
No doubt the post was recommended (and written by) one of the geniuses leading Albo’s dozen-strong communications team.
Regardless, the tweet was filled with unintentional irony.
It didn’t take long for to catch’. shrinkflation or transparency’.
A closer look at the Prime Minister’s X account reveals that this is not the first time a community note has been added to the information being tweeted. At best to add important context to the messages, at worst to correct possible misinformation.
So amid the government’s attempts to ram controversial new disinformation laws through parliament, the prime minister is at risk of spreading disinformation on his own social media accounts.
Whether you decide to laugh or cry at the decision-making that led Albo to the all-important issue of too many air-dominating chip packs this week, the tweet is unlikely to hit the mark.
At a time when voters are questioning Anthony Albanese’s leadership (his personal approval ratings have fallen) and Labor’s primaries and two-party vote have slumped, this is what we get.
Smoke rises after an explosion over Beirut’s southern suburbs following a strike on October 3
I don’t begrudge anyone who wants to enjoy a generous portion of chips after a hard day’s work. I’ve been there myself.
Especially Albo, who has spent the better part of the last four years cutting out such calories thanks to his strict adherence to a low-carb diet to get into premier shape.
He has often spoken about the lifestyle change, including yesterday when he got “shredded for the wedding.”
I’m just not sure this is where his focus should be right now.
Social media can be even more addictive than tasty chips, so maybe Albo just couldn’t help himself in his excitement.
Another reason why the Prime Minister is also pursuing a ban on the use of social media by children.
Because he doesn’t want our impressionable youth to jump on a social media platform and do something that could embarrass them, hurt them, or backfire.
Wise advice indeed.