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The Canberra Times
The Canberra Times
Olivia Ireland

'Thinking that the campaign was about them': Albanese calls out press pack

Labor leader Anthony Albanese. Picture: Sitthixay Ditthavong

Opposition leader Anthony Albanese has hit back at press pack journalists, describing tactics as "nonsense" in his final interview before election day.

Things got testy between ABC 7.30 host Leigh Sales and the Labor leader when he was asked about his mistakes on the campaign trail.

Before Ms Sales could finish her question, Mr Albanese interjected with a hit at the press pack that followed him around for the six week campaign.

"During this campaign, with respect, some of the nonsense that's gone on from some of the journalists thinking that the campaign was about them and gotcha moments is one of the things that puts people off politics," he said.

Mr Albanese has become frustrated throughout the election with the press pack, most recently tensions rose around Labor refusing to release their costings until Thursday this week.

The controversial candidate for Fowler, senior Labor politician Kristina Keneally, was brought up after she was parachuted in Sydney's southwest at the expense of Vietnamese lawyer Tu Le.

"What would you say to a voter there who might think Labor's parachuted in Kristina Keneally who doesn't live in our seat, I don't want a rich white woman from somewhere else to come in, I'll take the local who know my concerns, who speaks Vietnamese and who gets our community," Ms Sales said.

Mr Albanese described Ms Keneally as a "strong representative" for the seat who is a senior member of the Labor party.

The popularity of independent candidates had a high level of attention throughout the campaign, as opinion polls have indicated "a third of voters don't want either major party".

The Opposition Leader conceded that he's seen people "drift away from the generation whereby people were born into a Labor family or a conservative family".

"Society has changed, and we have far more various views and a growth of minor parties," he said.

This was Mr Albanese's second interview on the 7.30 program after appearing before the National Press Club earlier this week which Mr Morrison controversially did not appear on for this election.

Last week Mr Albanese accused the Prime Minister of being "allergic to the ABC".

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