>
Dylan Alcott jokes that Anthony Albanese will have to “change the locks” at The Lodge when he returns for the Australian of the Year awards, as the Prime Minister reveals how he lost a bet with the tennis champion after the Queen’s funeral.
Anthony Albanese has lifted the cover on how he lost a bet to Dylan Alcott on the way back from the Queen’s funeral, prompting the tennis champion to joke that the Prime Minister should “change the locks” at The Lodge.
Alcott was welcomed by Albanese at the awards ceremony on Wednesday, with the retired wheelchair tennis star returning after winning Australian gong of the year in 2022.
‘There’s trouble here,’ Albanese said as he warmly welcomed Alcott, to which the 32-year-old replied that he was going to ‘pick a room’.
Dylan Alcott joked that Anthony Albanese will have to “change the locks” at The Lodge when he returns for the Australia of the Year awards on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister explained how he had lost a game of snooker to the 15-time Grand Slam champion during a stopover on their way back from the Queen’s funeral in London.
‘On the way back…he hit me. And we bet he could spend the night at the Lodge,” Albanese said.
‘Dylan’s been investigating the club ever since he got here, but I won one of his Wimbledon trophies.’
Alcott said the Australian of the Year title gave him an incredible platform to advocate for people with disabilities.
‘There’s trouble here,’ Albanese said as he warmly welcomed Alcott, to which the 32-year-old replied that he was going to ‘pick a room’. Pictured: Alcott being greeted by the Albanese Prime Minister and his partner Jodie Haydon
“People keep asking me if I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished, and that sucks because we did it together,” he said.
‘I was really grateful for the number of people who wanted to listen and learn about disability.’
From community heroes to indigenous advocates and leaders, finalists from across the country gathered in Canberra ahead of the awards ceremony on Wednesday night.
The Prime Minister welcomed last year’s Australian of the Year at the Australia Day Awards.
Human rights and refugee advocate Craig Foster, NSW’s Australian of the Year, said the multicultural countryside reflected Australia as a nation.
“It really is an extraordinary group,” he said.
“So whether you’re talking here about palliative care, sustainability and climate, or refugee rights and multiculturalism, Australia will be very well served by the 2023 Australian of the Year.”
Alcott was passing the baton to this year’s award winner after reigning supreme in 2022.