Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon have revealed they will officially be husband and wife by the end of the year, regardless of the result of the upcoming election.
The Prime Minister and Ms Haydon said in an interview with Australian Women’s Weekly that they are planning a modest ceremony for relatives and close friends that will likely be in the spring after Australians have gone to the polls.
‘It will be small, intimate. Possibly outdoors, in the second half of this year, with our family and loved ones … And you can be sure (pet cavoodle) Toto will make an appearance,’ Ms Haydon said.
Mr Albanese said prior to popping the question he had asked for the support of his 24-year-old son Nathan, whom he shares with his ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt, a former NSW Deputy Premier.
‘I respect him and have a good relationship with him, and with his mother. So I asked him to think about it … and he was supportive. He wants me to be happy, and Nathan and Jodie have a really nice relationship as well,’ Mr Albanese said.
He said one major difference between himself and Ms Haydon became more apparent when deciding on the potential guest list – the size of their extended families.
‘Growing up, there was just me and my mum. I haven’t got any brothers or sisters. I’ve got one really close relative, my son Nathan, and I cherish that relationship – we’re great mates.
He said he ‘added it up this week’ and his six first cousins were vastly outnumbered by Ms Haydon who ‘has hundreds … well, there must be 70 at least’.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Jodie Haydon have revealed they are planning for their wedding to be held in the second half of this year
They announced their engagement in February last year after first meeting in 2020
Mr Albanese and Ms Haydon conceded the pressures of the country’s top job had provided some challenges to their relationship.
However, they said many of the difficulties they faced – such as frequent travel away or long hours – were not far removed from what shift workers or those in FIFO jobs had to deal with.
They said they enjoyed each others company and ‘made the most of their time together’ when their work commitments allowed.
Ms Haydon is an executive for Teachers Mutual Bank, which she said has been very supportive of her high profile role outside the office.
Her work ethic was learned, she said, through her mother and grandmother who were both schoolteachers.
She credits them with instilling in her a belief in her potential and that because of them she ‘never felt held back as a women when it comes to the workforce’.
It was at a work conference in 2020 where Ms Haydon met Mr Albanese – who was then opposition leader to the Scott Morrison government.
He had asked if there were any South Sydney NRL fans in the audience, at which Ms Haydon yelled out the team’s catch cry of ‘up the Rabbitohs’.
‘We met up for a drink… it’s a nice relationship,’ he said of their first date.
In a new interview with Women’s Weekly they said the nation’s top job provided some challenges to their relationship, but that it wasn’t that different from the difficulties shift workers or those in FIFO jobs had to deal with
Planning for the pair’s wedding has been a brief diversion, but Mr Albanese’s main focus over the next few weeks will be his campaign for a second term as prime minister.
‘Anthony isn’t a big fan of unnecessary shopping,’ Ms Haydon said.
Much like the pair’s nuptials, an election date is yet to be announced, though it must be held by May 17 at the latest.
Cost-of-living issues are set to dominate the campaign and speculation loomed an interest rate cut, announced on Tuesday, could see the prime minister calling the poll sooner than expected.
The Reserve Bank on Tuesday cut the official cash rate by 25 basis points to 4.1 per cent, delivering much-needed relief for mortgage holders.
But Mr Albanese downplayed suggestions the first interest rate cut in almost five years would be the trigger for a federal election and remained coy about when Australians would head to the polls.
‘This won’t have an impact on the timing of the election,’ he told ABC Radio on Tuesday.
‘We’re continuing to get on with the business of governing. That’s what we’ve been doing: working each and every day for how we can provide assistance for people.’
Mr Albanese said he asked for the support of his son Nathan, 24, before popping the question to Ms Haydon (pictured with Nathan’s mother and Mr Albanese’s ex-wife Carmel Tebbutt)
The pair’s interview appeared in the new edition of Australian Women’s Weekly
The prime minister said preparations were still being made for a federal budget, which is slated to be handed down on March 25.
However, the budget could be scrapped should an election be called before that date.
‘We’ll continue to look at ways in which we can provide support for Australians,’ Mr Albanese said.
‘I’m certainly not getting ahead of myself, unlike (Opposition Leader) Peter Dutton, who seems to be measuring up the curtains.’
The new edition of Australian Women’s Weekly is on sale from Thursday.
