Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has asked detractors questioning his busy overseas itinerary which events he should not have attended, amid some opposition and media criticism about being away during disastrous east coast flooding.
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Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor is among high-profile critics attacking Mr Albanese who has just arrived back in Australia from a trip which included the NATO summit in Madrid, a meeting in Paris to repair relations with French President Emmanuel Macron and a high-security visit to the war zone that is the Ukrainian capital Kiev to offer support to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Mr Taylor, who has visited flood-affected residents in his Hume electorate, told Sydney radio 2GB that the Prime Minister was "more concerned about his reputation on the global stage" than making sure people in NSW have a place to sleep. He doubled down during a press conference in Canberra, saying his criticism was that Mr Albanese "doesn't have an economic plan".
Addressing reporters during a stopover in Perth, Mr Albanese gave an update on emergency advice and government support for people affected by flooding, but bristled at suggestions he had got his priorities wrong.
"We cannot separate international events from the impact on Australia and Australians," he said. "And for those people who might like to say which of the events I have attended on behalf of Australia, that I should not have attended, I have not had a day off for a very long period of time."
Asked to pick an event that Mr Albanese should not have attended, Mr Taylor could not name one.
"Now my criticism is that he doesn't have an economic plan," the shadow treasurer said. "My criticism is that he doesn't have a plan that is dealing with those inflationary pressures that are very real for Australian households and families. For small businesses as well."
"Rising interest rates and rising inflation is a different set of economic circumstances to what we've faced as a country in the recent past."
Heavy rain continues to lash NSW and catchments are full, causing rivers to rise and subjecting thousands in flood-stricken areas to evacuation orders or warnings. Some 20,000 homes are without power and around 1000 homes are without communications.
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NSW Liberal Premier Dominic Perrottet has praised Mr Albanese and the federal government for "open, positive" engagement and had relayed his support directly to the Prime Minister.
The flood emergency now stretches from the NSW Central Coast to the Illawarra south of Sydney. There's also more rain expected taking the flood risk further north.
"The people on the east coast are doing it really tough at the moment. And it is clear that the crisis is not over yet," the Prime Minister said. "I'm advised that the rains are heading towards the Hunter and Mid-North Coast today.
"They are hoped to be easing in coming days. But there will continue to be flash flooding. And the advice remains - if it is flooding, forget it. Do not take risks."
The government has advised nine evacuation centres are open, with 242 people registered at them.
250 ADF personnel have been made available; 100 on the ground, 100 on standby and 50 readying to support clean-up efforts.
Asked if he was, in hindsight, too harsh on his predecessor Scott Morrison for going missing during the devastating flooding in March Mr Albanese shot back; "If people want to argue that I'm not working hard, they can argue their case."
Mr Albanese has had an intense overseas itinerary since winning office, with some trips arranged by the previous government and others being pre-arranged multi-lateral events.
"I have attended the Quad Leaders' meeting the day after the election. It was not a decision of mine to hold the election on May 21 that was a decision of the former prime minister," Mr Albanese said. "I attended that and I attended the NATO summit, which was important that Australia be represented there."
"It was important that we deal with the relationship with France and Europe. And I believe that my visit to Ukraine was important to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine."