OPTICS REPORT Albo clarifies that throwing Kevin under the bus “wasn’t a significant moment”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has this morning reassured the nation that publicly throwing former Prime Minister and current US Ambassador Kevin Rudd under a moving diplomatic bus was, in fact, “not a significant moment”.

The statement follows widespread coverage of the awkward encounter between Donald Trump and Rudd in Washington earlier yesterday, where the former US President told Rudd, “I don’t like you”, after Albo pointed the finger towards old mate.

Now, less than 24 hours later, Albanese has clarified that everything is totally fine, actually.

“It certainly wasn’t a significant moment,” he said, “Kevin’s doing a fantastic job”.

Witnesses say Rudd, last seen dusting off metaphorical tyre marks, is reportedly thrilled to hear this.

Political insiders say the Prime Minister’s comments are part of a long Australian tradition known as ‘retroactive mateship’. It’s a diplomatic technique where one publicly distances themselves from a colleague, then immediately insists it was never that deep.