We must expect more from our leadership

October 1, 2025

To say Albanese’s UN speeches were a disappointment would be an understatement. No one could miss the sycophantic pandering to the US within the first few minutes of the National Statement:

“… international rules-based order owes much to the post-war leadership of the United States of America.”

Does it? Should I mention the words “weapons of mass destruction”, Iraq and the illegal war waged by the “coalition of the willing”? Should I mention the last eight months?

I, like Lama Qasem, was stunned when I heard, during the Palestinian Statehood address, Albanese say the children of Gaza were being “taught to hate”.

Where was the admonishment of Israel that 82% of their population wishes the forced expulsion of Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, or that 47% support the IDF killing all Palestinians in Gaza?

I then listened to the extraordinary, inspiring and brilliant UN speech of Mia Mottley (Barbados’ prime minister), and I regained some faith in humanity.

Watch it and be restored.

Mottley is not our prime minister — that is true — but it was an urgent reminder that we, as Australians, must expect far, far more from those who seek to lead us.