Anthony Albanese has come under political attack over a busy international travel schedule as Australians face another interest rate hike and ongoing cost-of-living pressures.
The Prime Minister left Australia on Saturday to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in the Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda. He said he was making the trip at the personal request of King Charles.
He is not due home until next Friday evening, leaving Treasurer Jim Chalmers to manage any political fallout if the Reserve Bank raises interest rates on Melbourne Cup Day.
Economists expect the bank to lift the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points to 4.85 per cent following Tuesday's Monetary Policy Board meeting.
Commonwealth Bank economists revised their forecast after the Reserve Bank warned inflation was likely to remain higher than expected, driven by rising energy costs, booming investment in artificial intelligence and persistent economic constraints.
The Caribbean visit is the first in a series of overseas trips for Albanese over the next six weeks.
After CHOGM, he will travel to Turkey for the UN climate conference, followed by the East Asia Summit and Australia-ASEAN Summit in the Philippines.
He will then head to China for the APEC Leaders' Summit and talks with President Xi Jinping, before finishing with the G20 Summit in the United States in December.
Albanese will spend six weeks criss-crossing the globe to attend meetings and summits
The Coalition has criticised the timing, saying the Prime Minister should be focused on the economic challenges facing Australians.
Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson slammed the overseas trip.
'In between the cocktails by the pool the Prime Minister might spare a thought for the small businesses that are going broke under his watch, and the families that are breaking under his inflation addiction and interest rate hikes,' Wilson told Daily Mail.
Albanese has defended the trip, describing CHOGM as an opportunity to strengthen Australia's ties with Commonwealth nations and advance key diplomatic priorities.
More than 50 countries are participating in the summit, which is being held under the theme 'Accelerating Partnerships and Investment for a Prosperous Commonwealth'.
Albanese plans to use the gathering to campaign for Australia's bid for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2029-30 and to hold talks with leaders from Britain, Canada, Africa, the Pacific and the Caribbean.
'The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting is an important forum, providing Australia an opportunity to work with some of our closest partners on shared challenges, including climate change, the preservation of our oceans, trade and investment, and the rise of AI,' Albanese said before departing.
'It's also an important opportunity for Australia to advance our campaign for a seat on the United Nations Security Council in 2029-30.'
Albanese (pictured) defended the trip, saying he was invited by King Charles personally
Albanese is also expected to hold his first face-to-face meeting with British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, with backpacker visa changes set to be on the agenda.
It comes as the Albanese government moves to crack down on temporary visa holders, with British backpackers exempt from the new rules under the free trade agreement signed in 2022 by the former Morrison government.
The summit is Albanese's second CHOGM, following his attendance at the 2024 meeting in Samoa. The trip also marks the first visit by an Australian prime minister to the Caribbean since 2009.
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