It became the national address that spurred a hundred memes. 'Yeah, that could have been an email,' satirical news outlet Betoota Advocate told their followers. The Coalition called it "nothing but hot air".
Albanese backed up his national address with a speech to the National Press Club. He was asked if he misread the moment. He doesn't think so.
"I'm taking every opportunity to put the facts out about where we're at and to show people that we do have a plan," he says.
That didn't stop the memes which are clearly making fun of the prime minister. But hey, at least his office can tell themselves their message is being read. And they're probably not wrong. The memes have a better likelihood of reaching people who were watching the Secret Lives of Mormon Wives or doomscrolling on TikTok over the nightly news.
But one has to wonder if next time Albanese wants to delay the start time of Home and Away to directly talk to Australians, people won't believe that he actually has something to say
This week marked a bit of a turnaround in the government's approach since the Iran war broke out. The government initially downplayed prospects of fuel shortages. Energy Minister Chris Bowen had dedicated much of his time at the despatch box in Question Time asking people to stop panic buying.
But with no certainty as to when the conflict will end or when the Strait of Hormuz will re-open, it was clear there needed to be a shift. After Bondi, the prime minister can't afford the sentiment he can't respond quickly to a crisis to cement.
National cabinet signed off on a four-stage plan. The plan didn't outline what exactly happens next, or what could happen if our fuel supplies hit critical levels. Nor would the government, when asked, clearly define what the trigger for fuel rationing would be.
What our leaders are willing to tell us is clearly a lesson they've learned from the pandemic. Rightfully, they don't want people rushing to fill up hastily purchased jerry cans in the same way we rushed to purchase toilet paper in 2020.
The government also really wants to avoid the state-by-state approach adopted during the pandemic.