Chris Smith dissects the federal political news of the week with National Editor of The Australian Dennis Shanahan

The PM this week faced twin crises of ongoing Russian invasion and flood disaster. Unfolding Ukrainian horrors has kept fears of war in Europe including biological and chemical attacks the top of the agenda as China continues to cover for Russia. The flooding has brought a domestic challenge with the declaration of a national disaster and claims the Federal Government has been too slow to act and Labor revives the bushfire response. Anthony Albanese has been trying to fill in a view of how he would govern with big speeches on the economy and foreign affairs but his citing of being like Hawke and Keating, Rudd and Gillard, Chifely and Curtin and even John Howard has raised questions about his own agenda. The sudden death of Kimberley Kitching has again raised issues about the internal factional pressures within the Victorian ALP with stress about her lack of endorsement being raised in connection with her suspected heart attack.

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