Anthony Albanese has faced a wave of criticism after appearing in a promotional video for Jollibee, the Filipino fast-food giant preparing to expand into Australia.
The Prime Minister posted the polished 10-second clip on Sunday after visiting a Jollibee outlet in Manila during his trip to the Philippines for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit.
Jollibee, known for its fried chicken and sweet-style spaghetti, plans to open 35 restaurants across New South Wales and Victoria over the next five years.
In the video, Albanese smiles as a giant tuxedo-wearing bee presents him with a bucket of chicken. Separate images show him looking into the camera while holding a chicken leg and drinking a milkshake.
The post drew a largely negative response, with several users saying the footage looked so artificial that it appeared to have been generated by AI.
‘Is this even real?’ one person asked. Another wrote: ‘I immediately thought it was AI.’
Other commenters questioned why the Prime Minister was promoting an overseas company while Australian businesses continue to grapple with rising operating costs.
‘Small businesses are closing and you’re gleefully bragging about some multinational corporation opening in our country,’ one user wrote.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (above) shared a video of his visit to a Jollibee store in Manila on Sunday
The visit coincided with a franchise deal to bring Jollibee stores to NSW and Victoria
‘Since when does the government market corporations?’ another commenter asked, while a third wrote: ‘Surely you have more important things to do?’
Some users also linked the announcement to the cost-of-living crisis. ‘Wow, a lovely fast-food place coming to Australia? That’s great, Albo! When can I afford basic groceries?’ one wrote.
Albanese arrived at the ASEAN summit after travelling from the UN climate summit COP31 in Antalya, Turkey, where he was involved in another awkward moment after a crude remark was picked up by a hot microphone.
The Prime Minister had been speaking with Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen on a panel when the pair were heard joking that mobile phones should not be kept in breast or pants pockets because of radiation.
‘Because of your d***?’ Albanese said, prompting Bowen to laugh and respond: ‘That’s rather important… arguably more important than the heart.’
During Sunday’s visit, Albanese joined Jollibee Global President and CEO Ernesto Tanmantiong to announce the first two franchise agreements for the company’s Australian expansion.
The Prime Minister said the new restaurants would offer a much-loved ‘taste of home for so many Filipino-Australians’ while creating ‘hundreds of jobs’ across the country.
Jollibee operates more than 1,600 restaurants in 17 countries. Its plans for Australia first emerged in 2022, when the company lodged a development application for a store in Campbelltown, south-west Sydney.
Albanese said Jollibee’s 35 Australian restaurants would create ‘hundreds of jobs’
Critics questioned why Albanese was promoting the Filipino chain while Australian businesses faced higher operating costs
Campbelltown has now been confirmed as the site of Jollibee Australia’s first outlet, although no opening date has been announced.
Australians of Filipino heritage form the country’s fifth-largest diaspora community, with more than 400,000 people born in the Philippines living in Australia.
Albanese said the expansion would support hundreds of jobs in retail, logistics and product supply.
‘Jollibee is a familiar name for many Filipino Australians and we want to see more businesses choose Australia as a place to grow and succeed. I welcome investment that supports Australian jobs and strengthens our economic partnerships,’ he said.
‘Food brings people together, and Jollibee is a great example of the cultural connections that strengthen our relationship with the Philippines.’
Also on Sunday, Australia and the Philippines signed a new defence pact at ASEAN designed to speed up military co-operation and ‘bolster deterrence’ amid China’s expanding military presence in the region.
The agreement updates a decades-old memorandum and was signed on the sidelines of a leaders’ meeting in Manila, attended by Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
Canberra and Manila have steadily expanded defence ties in recent years, including joint maritime patrols in the strategically important South China Sea and military exercises on land.
Australia and the Philippines signed a new defence pact at the ASEAN summit on Sunday
The Philippines, a US ally, has been involved in years of confrontations with China over disputed parts of the South China Sea.
Beijing claims almost the entire strategically vital waterway, despite an international ruling that found its claim had no legal basis.
‘The agreement makes us faster, speedier. It streamlines the coordination process,’ Philippine Defence Secretary Gilberto Teodoro told reporters after Sunday’s signing ceremony.
‘It will bolster our credible deterrent posture in areas where we have jurisdiction,’ he said, referring to disputed parts of the South China Sea.
Australia and the Philippines have maintained a visiting forces agreement since 2012, allowing troops from both nations to train on each other’s territory.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said the pact would ‘deepen practical cooperation between our defence forces and create new opportunities to work together in support of regional security’.
The agreement includes expanded maritime activities, greater information-sharing and the development of defence infrastructure.
Speaking at an ASEAN defence chiefs’ summit in the Philippines last month, Marles said China’s military build-up was creating a ‘condition of pressure’ in South-East Asia and called on allies and partners to strengthen co-operation.
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Should the Prime Minister promote foreign-owned multinational companies while Aussie businesses struggle?