Anthony Albanese wants it on the record: he is not feeling cocky about Labor’s election prospects. “There’s no complacency from my camp, I assure you of that,” the prime minister told reporters at a press conference this week. “And this election is certainly up for grabs.”

He went on to publicly remind his Labor colleagues about Bill Shorten’s devastating 2019 loss, when the bookmakers paid out a Labor victory that never eventuated.

But actions speak louder than words, as the cliche goes. And the Albanese I have witnessed in action over the past week on the campaign trail has exuded confidence, a man who looks like he is surfing a wave to victory on May 3.

Far from frenetic, the penultimate week of campaigning has been positively languid by normal standards. A week bookended by public holidays was always going to be a more low-key affair, but Albanese has leant into the sedate pace. It was not the behaviour of someone trying to upend the dynamics of the campaign or scrounge for every last vote. The contrast with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has been stark.

On Good Friday, Albanese’s sole event was, literally, a walk in the park, accompanied by dog Toto. Dutton, meanwhile, attended a Maronite church service packed with 20,000 people.

A walk in the park: Albanese with fiancee Jodie Haydon and dog Toto on Good Friday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

On Saturday, Albanese dropped into the Royal Easter show to pat some goats and alpacas before spending an hour that night as a guest on The Rest Is Politics podcast.

Albanese holds a sleeping goat at the........

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