Albanese Mocks Coalition Climate Policy as "Written by Kids," Cites 6-7 TikTok Meme
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese Wednesday delivered a scathing attack on Opposition Leader Sussan Ley’s climate and energy policy document, comparing it to the viral “6-7” TikTok trend popular among primary school students and declaring “I really think that perhaps the policy’s been written by kids” in a colorful critique positioning the Coalition proposal as substanceless political theatre.
Speaking at HMAS Stirling naval base, Albanese seized on internal Coalition divisions over the recently released energy policy to paint the Opposition as chaotic and unserious, deploying unusually pointed rhetoric for a sitting Prime Minister addressing policy substance.
“We have a plan for the economic transition. The Coalition have a pamphlet,” Albanese said, establishing the attack’s central metaphor before escalating with increasingly biting commentary.
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The “6-7” Comparison
The Prime Minister invoked the current TikTok phenomenon where children chant “six, seven” in response to various prompts, a trend that has reportedly frustrated teachers nationwide due to its meaningless content and viral spread through student populations.
“If you go into a local school here, primary school, you’ll have local kids stand up and they’ll say, six, seven, six, seven. It’s a big thing. It’s driving teachers crazy,” Albanese explained before delivering the punchline.
“Well, 6-7, what does it mean? It means nothing. A bit like the pamphlet that they’ve put out.”
The comparison suggests the Coalition policy document consists of viral political messaging without substantive content, echoing a social media trend characterized by form without function.
“Written by Kids” or Barnaby Joyce
Albanese referenced internal Coalition criticism, particularly from former Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes who resigned from the party earlier this year while criticizing its direction and chaos.
“They’re calling that out, and one of the things they’re saying is that the policy has been written effectively by Barnaby Joyce,” Albanese said, referring to the former Nationals leader and Deputy Prime Minister known for colorful rhetoric and conservative positioning on climate policy.
“But I think that is giving it too much credit. Because I really think that, you know, perhaps the policy’s been written by kids.”
The escalating mockery—from Joyce authorship to children’s composition—positions the Opposition as increasingly unserious on major policy challenges.
Ley’s Contradictory Messaging
Albanese specifically criticized Ley for inconsistent messaging across different media platforms: “Susan Lee thinks that it’s OK to say one thing on the ABC, a different thing when she’s on 2GB.”
The Prime Minister (who referred to Opposition Leader Sussan Ley as “Susan Lee”) highlighted apparent contradictions in how the Coalition frames energy policy depending on audience demographics and political leanings of different media outlets.
ABC audiences skew more progressive and climate-concerned, while 2GB—Sydney’s dominant commercial talk radio station—attracts older, more conservative listeners. Albanese suggested Ley tailors messaging to each audience rather than maintaining consistent policy positions.
Coal Policy Confusion
Albanese pointed to specific policy uncertainty regarding coal generation: “Who knows what it means for coal? In some places, it doesn’t stack up. Well, that’s the whole basis of the policy that’s going forward.”
The Coalition energy policy reportedly includes provisions for extending coal power station life while simultaneously investing in nuclear power generation—a combination critics argue creates internal contradictions given the timeframes and costs involved in each technology.
“It is a policy about nothing, a bit like the 6-7 phenomenon that we’re seeing kids engage with,” Albanese concluded, completing the circle back to his central metaphor.
Political Context: Climate Wars Continue
The attack continues Australia’s multi-decade “climate wars” that have destroyed multiple political leaders and prevented stable energy policy development since the mid-2000s.
Coalition policy traditionally emphasizes technology-agnostic approaches while opposing strong emission reduction targets. Labor positions itself as supporting renewable energy transition with specific emission reduction commitments.
The Opposition’s recent policy document reportedly proposes nuclear power development alongside continued fossil fuel generation, a combination Labor argues is economically and environmentally incoherent.
Hollie Hughes’ Resignation
Albanese’s reference to Hughes carries particular sting because she resigned from the Liberal Party in recent months while publicly criticizing internal dysfunction and policy incoherence.
Hughes, who represented New South Wales in the Senate, cited irreconcilable differences with party direction and what she characterized as chaos within Coalition ranks. Her departure provided Labor with talking points about Opposition disunity that Albanese enthusiastically deployed Wednesday.
“Calling out the chaos that is there in her former party that she represented in the Senate just a few months ago,” Albanese said, positioning Hughes as a validator of Labor’s criticisms rather than simply a partisan defector.
Barnaby Joyce’s Influence
The suggestion that Joyce—rather than Ley or Shadow Ministers—effectively authored policy documents implies the Nationals maintain disproportionate influence over Coalition positioning despite Liberal numerical dominance.
Joyce’s well-documented skepticism toward aggressive climate action and preference for protecting fossil fuel industries aligns with conservative Coalition positions but creates electoral vulnerabilities in urban constituencies where climate concern polls higher.
Attributing policy to Joyce allows Albanese to paint the entire Coalition as captured by its most conservative elements rather than led by moderate voices.
National Interest Framing
Albanese embedded the Coalition attacks within broader messaging about his government’s national interest focus, contrasting Labor’s substantive policy work with Opposition internal bickering.
“My government is very focused on our national interest. We’re focused on the work that’s taking place here. We’re focused on jobs, the future made in Australia,” Albanese said during the media availability, following up the policy attacks with positive government messaging.
The framing suggests Labor governs seriously while the Opposition plays political games with frivolous policy proposals.
Timing: Pre-Budget Context
The colorful attack comes as both parties position for federal budget debates and potential early election scenarios, with the Albanese government required to call elections by May 17, 2026.
Energy and climate policy historically drive significant electoral behavior, particularly among younger voters and environmental constituencies where both major parties seek advantage.
Labor won the 2022 election partly on commitments to stronger climate action after nearly a decade of Coalition government characterized by climate policy paralysis and leadership instability related to internal party divisions over emission targets.
Opposition Response Expected
The Coalition will likely respond by arguing Albanese resorts to personal attacks because Labor’s own energy policy has failed to reduce power prices as promised during the 2022 campaign.
Electricity costs have remained elevated despite Labor’s election commitments to reduce prices by $275 annually through renewable energy deployment and grid modernization.
Opposition energy spokespeople will point to continued price pressure as evidence Labor’s approach has failed, justifying alternative policy directions including nuclear power consideration.
6-7 Meme Explained
For readers unfamiliar with the TikTok trend, “6-7” involves children responding to various questions or prompts by chanting the numbers “six, seven” regardless of context or relevance.
The trend exemplifies viral social media content that spreads through repetition and peer pressure rather than inherent meaning or value, frustrating educators who must manage classroom disruptions while the fad persists.
By comparing Coalition policy to this trend, Albanese suggests it consists of meaningless slogans that sound provocative but contain no substantive content—viral political messaging without actual policy depth.
Unusually Personal Tone
Albanese’s attacks Wednesday employed more colorful and personal language than typically characterizes his public commentary, suggesting heightened political calculation as election positioning intensifies.
The Prime Minister generally maintains more measured rhetoric in formal settings, making the “written by kids” comparison and TikTok meme references particularly notable as departures from standard political communication.
Whether the sharper tone reflects Labor’s confidence in its electoral position or concern about Coalition momentum remains subject to interpretation and partisan debate.
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