2 weeks Ago By Stephanie Peatling
Follow our live coverage of the 2025 federal election here . Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has made fun of her awkward greeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at Labor’s campaign launch in Perth on Sunday, saying the air kiss she offered as he reached out to shake her hand was just her way of avoiding spreading a cold. In photos and footage from the launch, the prime minister can be seen getting ready to shake Plibersek’s hand before his speech.
She looks ready to give him a hug, while he puts his hand out for a shake. Plibersek then blows an air kiss before Albanese moves on to greet other Labor ministers. Anthony Albanese and Tanya Plibersek’s awkward exchange at the Labor Party launch.
Credit: ABC News Plibersek was asked about the encounter on breakfast TV on Monday morning. “I reckon we should still all be elbow bumping,” Plibersek told Channel Seven’s Sunrise . “During the election campaign, the last thing you want is to catch a cold from someone.
So that’s on me. I should’ve done the elbow bump, I reckon.” Pressed on the status of her relationship with Albanese, Plibersek said: “We’re buddies.
” Labor’s environment minister and past leadership rival was absent from Albanese’s campaign as it toured the Great Barrier Reef on Thursday, though her name was on the funding package the prime minister was there to announce. The day before, she was present as the local member for Sydney as Albanese opened a restaurant at Paddy’s Market. While developers and other Labor figures spoke at the official launch event before the prime minister’s keynote address, Plibersek made just a few introductory remarks about her many memories of the market before welcoming people to the function.
“It’s particularly a pleasure to be here with so many special guests today,” she said. “The premier of course, the lord mayor, and most particularly the prime minister, coming off a great win last night in the debate. We’re all looking forward to a great win on May the 3rd as well, prime minister.
” Albanese then thanked Plibersek: “In your capacity as the local member for Sydney. What a lucky person you are to represent this city, of this great global centre of Australia.” As environment minister, Plibersek was overruled by the prime minister last November when he killed off planned legislation for an environment protection agency by ruling out any concessions to the Greens, after pressure from WA Premier Roger Cook.
Despite this, Plibersek has proved to be popular on the campaign trail, saying she had visited more than three seats a week since the start of the year. “I think since January, I’ve been to about 47 seats at last count,” Plibersek told Sky News on Thursday. “I’m losing count a little bit.
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