Albanese got the gong, but misogyny is the real global citizen

September 27, 2026 — 5:00am

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I might have completely missed Anthony Albanese receiving a Global Citizen award while in New York for a UN meeting had it not been for a bout of old-fashioned cancel-happy stroppiness on social media platform X.

It was triggered by journalist Latika Bourke, who asked the prime minister if he felt like a fraud accepting the award after “screwing up” the response to the Bondi terror attacks – a tragedy she pointed out was “the worst massacre in Australia’s history since Port Arthur”.

It’s getting hellishly hard for politicians to roll on the international statesman patina these days, and it was clearly not the type of question a prime minister who’d only managed a half-coat of UN glitter, so far, was hoping to answer. The press-pack was meant to be struck by the sparkle, not focused on the mud that kept it in place.

Albanese responded with a curt dismissal. Back at home, his fan club laid into the journalist who’d dared to challenge the emperor’s tinsel. Former Julia Gillard adviser Stephen Koukoulas called for the ABC to sack Bourke, as “it sacks other staff for much less than this”.

Again, I almost didn’t notice. After all, Bourke is female. And, one presumes at least from the pile-on, somewhat right of centre.

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© The Sydney Morning Herald