Setting a date for Australia’s first prime ministerial wedding,which will have to balance the competing demands of personal happiness,government business and election timing,will be no easy feat.
When will Jodie Haydon and Anthony Albanese get married?Alex Ellinghausen
In a series of TV interviews on Wednesday morning,Albanese – who wanted to talk about – was asked over and over again about the big day.
Seven’s Natalie Barr wanted to know when they would get married,Sky’s Laura Jayes wanted to know if the prime minister would change his name to Haydon,and Nine’s Karl Stefanovic wanted to know if he could MC the wedding. (Probably not,Karl.)
“We’ve got to work out a time,” Albanese said. “And you need not just,of course,a date for the big day but hopefully a few days afterwards for a break together.
“So,we will sit down when we have a chance. I think what we’ve done is schedule in to try to sit down and finalise a date,perhaps over Easter when we have time of having actually a few days off together.”
As for the name change?
“I’ve had this name of mine for 60 years now. I won’t be changing and Jodie,I don’t think will be changing her name either.”
Choosing a wedding date can be fraught at the best of times. For Albanese and Haydon,the task looks diabolical.
Three of Albanese’s ministerial colleagues are getting married this year,too:Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones in a matter of weeks;Foreign Minister Penny Wong at some point this year (the date has been set but is a closely guarded secret);and Industry and Science Minister Ed Husic,who has not set a date yet.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong.Alex Ellinghausen
Then there are the demands on a prime minister’s time. The federal budget in May effectively rules out the next couple of months,while June is typically one of parliament’s busiest months.
Parliament is in recess for most of July and for some of August,but the prime minister often has to go overseas at this time. Also,the weather is awful in Canberra.
September is possible,but parliament sits for a fortnight,and it’s also footy finals month.
October has only one sitting week,but it is also the month for international summits,and there will be state elections in Queensland and the ACT. November,a popular month for weddings,has three parliamentary sitting weeks.
That leaves December – when parliament doesn’t sit,the weather is usually kind,and people take holidays.
A wedding at the end of the year would allow the nation’s first couple to get married and take a tiny little honeymoon – somewhere in Australia,no going overseas in bushfire season – before Albanese springs into 2025 on an election footing,hopefully with a little honeymoon bump in approval.
Just don’t expect it on Christmas Day,which is the single least popular day for people to get married.
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