Anthony Albanese has made a daring bid to appeal to younger voters by dropping a bizarre piece of Gen Z lingo during a parliamentary speech.
The Prime Minister appeared on the Happy Hour podcast with hosts Lucy Jackson and Nikki Westcott where he was quizzed on Gen Z slang.
After successfully decoding that ‘delulu’ was short for delusional, the PM then accepted a ‘dare’ from the hosts to use it while addressing parliament.
‘Budget week next week, listen up, that’s the task,’ he told the hosts.
And sure enough, during a fiery debate this week in Parliament House, Mr Albanese dropped the term in a retort to Peter Dutton during a tense back-and-forth over tax cuts.
‘Well, Mr Speaker, they are delulu with no solulu,’ he announced.
Despite Mr Albanese picking an opportune moment to drop the catchy zinger, Aussies were divided on social media.
While some said it was ‘iconic’ another said it was cringe-worthy’ and ‘pathetic’.
Anthony Albanese appeared on the Happy Hour podcast where hosts Lucy Jackson and Nikki Westcott gave him the ‘dare’
‘I can’t believe he said, that he’s got my vote,’ one said.
‘I want a PM that goes through with a dare, that’s a true Aussie,’ another agreed.
‘Yeah I gottta admit he just won a point in my book,’ said a third.
But others were less impressed.
‘What an absolute mockery of our country. Taking on dares from influencers while the country crumbles and the rest of the world treats us however they please.’
‘Our PM is a international embarrassment,’ one commenter fumed.
Despite the flack, the PM’s attempts to connect with younger voters is reminiscent of Donald Trump’s successful new media blitz ahead of last year’s US election.
After Trump appeared on the Joe Rogan podcast, the YouTube video racked up 27million views in a single day and sparked almost a million X posts.
Anthony Albanese recently revealed he will marry Jodie Haydon in the second half of 2025
Among the other subjects touched on in Mr Albanese’s appearance on Happy Hour was his marriage to Jodie Haydon, set for the second half of the year after the federal election, and his love for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Mr Albanese said Rabbitohs co-owner and Hollywood A-lister Russell Crowe was ‘lobbying’ to host his bucks night but ‘that could be dangerous’.
On Friday, Mr Albanese announced voters will go to the polls on May 3, setting candidates up for a five-week campaign.
In his opening pitch to Australians, the prime minister drew contrasts between his government’s policies and those of Mr Dutton.
He urged voters to reflect on how his government had helped lay foundations for the future, ahead of a campaign destined to be dominated by cost-of-living issues.
The PM has finally declared Aussies are set to go to the polls on May 3 for the election
‘The world has thrown a lot at Australia in uncertain times – we cannot decide the challenges that we will face, but we can determine how we respond,’ Mr Albanese told reporters in Canberra.
‘Your vote has never been more important and your choice has never been more clear: this election is a choice between Labor’s plan to keep building or Peter Dutton’s promise to cut.
‘The very best reason to be optimistic for our nation remains the courage, kindness and aspiration of all Australians.’
If successful, Mr Albanese will be the first prime minister since John Howard to win back-to-back elections.
Cheaper medicines, a boost to Medicare and fair funding for all schools were all first-term achievements that showed Labor was working in the interests of all Australians, the prime minister said.
