Albanese ‘untroubled’ by Howard’s scathing comments

Mr Howard – Australia’s second longest serving prime minister – labelled Mr Albanese a “left-wing inner-city bomb thrower” who is not up to leading the country.

“It’s a hard job and you’ve got to be across detail,” Mr Howard told News Corp Australia.

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“In modern times nobody has gone to an election so policy-light as this bloke.

“But there’s nothing. I mean this fellow, he’s a blank piece of paper on policy and that’s what makes, in my view, his failure be across the detail all the more blameworthy because there’s not a lot of detail to be across.

“I didn’t think he had any policy substance and I didn’t think he was a particularly strong debater.

“I had nothing against him, but I just didn’t see him as somebody who would ever be leader.”

The Opposition Leader however was not phased by Mr Howard’s remarks – insisting the Liberal icon would be unable to recognise his own party.

Mr Albanese was in Mr Howard’s old seat of Bennelong in Sydney – which he lost in 2007 when his government was defeated.

“I respectfully am untroubled by John Howard,” Mr Albanese said on Sunday.

“John Howard, if he was sitting in the caucus today would not recognise the rabble that is the Liberal Party under Scott Morrison.”

“One of the things about Scott Morrison is that those people who’ve worked closely with him, whether it’s Malcolm Turnbull, or whether it be Barnaby Joyce, his deputy prime minister, whether it be Gladys Berejiklian - they all say that the more you know him the less trustworthy he’s regarded.”

Anthony Albanese and Scott Morrison will face off in the second leaders debate on Sunday May 8 at 8:45pm AEST.