Australia’s PM hit for buying waterfront home
MELBOURNE, Australia—Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been criticized for buying a multimillion-dollar waterfront home during a national housing crisis with federal elections just months away.
Critics argue that the purchase of the 4.3 million Australian dollar ($2.9 million) clifftop home at Copacabana, north of his hometown of Sydney, made him appear out of touch with many Australians who are struggling to buy or rent a home due to elevated interest rates, rising prices and limited supply.
“We want to get on with helping Australians, whether it be public housing, whether it be rentals or whether it be buying their own homes,” Albanese said, brushing off criticisms. Copacabana and several other beaches in the area have mainly multimillion dollar price tags on their waterfront homes.
Opposition lawmaker Sussan Ley described the purchase as evidence that Albanese was “out of touch,” and her colleague Angie Bell described the timing as “questionable.”
