Monday 9 May 2022 02:26 AM Tanya Plibersek finally appears by Labor leader Anthony Albanese's side trends now
Tanya Plibersek has finally appeared alongside Anthony Albanese after claims the popular Labor MP was 'benched' from the campaign trail.
The pair met with students at Mr Albanese's old school St Mary's in western Sydney on Monday morning and announced plans to recruit more high achievers to teaching careers.
But it wasn't smooth sailing with a school bell repeatedly going off and interrupting Mr Albanese as he tried to begin his press conference.
'The bell tolls for the Morrison Government,' a quick-thinking Mr Albanese quipped.
Ms Plibersek was conspicuously absent from major campaign events amid reports Mr Albanese sidelined popular MPs who might steal his limelight.
She until recently only had one transcript released to the media and was not included in a trip to WA for events with popular Labor premier Mark McGowan.
In an awkward moment Mr Albanese's speech on Monday was repeatedly interrupted by the school bell - but the Labor leader managed to make a quip at Scott Morrison's expense
Ms Plibersek, Labor's deputy leader, is the MP for Sydney while Mr Albanese is the MP for the neighbouring seat of Grayndler in Sydney's inner-west.
Both are from the left faction of Labor and were considered for the party's leadership when Bill Shorten quit after the 2019 election loss.
Ms Plibersek quickly pulled out of contention, leaving Mr Albanese to duke it out with right faction hopefuls.
Back then, Ms Plibersek said she had 'support, from across the party, to be elected leader' but the move would have required too much time away from her family.
She added she was was 'overwhelmed by the confidence my colleagues, the union movement, and Labor party members have placed in me'.
Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce on Monday claimed he and PM Scott Morrison could work far better together than Mr Albanese and Ms Plibersek.
'I'm 450km away from (Mr Morrison's) seat of Cook,' he said.
'Tanya Plibersek is 10cm away from the seat of Grayndler, right next door, and you can't see Tanya and Albo at the same coffee shop,' Mr Joyce said.
'They can't stand each other.'
Ms Plibersek was alongside Mr Albanese in Sydney on Monday after reports she had been benched because of her popularity (pictured)
Mr Albanese took the opportunity on Monday to fire back at the prime minister's leaders' debate performance on Sunday night as nothing but smirk and smears, as pre-poll voting gets under way across the country.
While the second leaders' debate was declared a draw following a shouty contest, both sides have sought to claim victory from the showdown.
'Scott Morrison didn't have anything to say except shouting, he only had smears and that smirk throughout it all,' he said.
'Last night I put forward ideas...
