Yet another blow for Albo as Aussies weigh in on his handling of the fuel crisis – after PM copped backlash over his pre-recorded address to the nation

Anthony Albanese’s approval has slumped amid growing concern over his response to the Middle East conflict and the global fuel crisis.

Just hours after the Prime Minister sparked backlash over his pre‑recorded address to the nation, a new Freshwater Strategy poll revealed deep anxiety among Australians about the impact of the war in Iran.

Albanese’s net approval rating has fallen nine points — from minus nine in January to minus 17 in March. Of the 1,050 voters surveyed, 59 per cent were dissatisfied with the government’s handling of the fuel crisis.

Voters were evenly split on the government’s response to the conflict itself.

Labor’s primary vote has slipped to 32 per cent, down three points since last May’s election and one point since January. It remains ahead of the Coalition on 23 per cent, which has been overtaken by Pauline Hanson’s One Nation at 25 per cent.

The survey was conducted before the Albanese government halved the fuel excise to 26.3 cents a litre for the next three months.

“The cut to fuel excise will offer some temporary respite, but Australians will be watching closely to ensure those savings are passed on to consumers,” Freshwater head of research Jordan Meyers told The Daily Telegraph.

“While voters do not hold Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his government responsible for the fuel crisis, they are largely dissatisfied with his response to date.”

Opposition leader Angus Taylor is pictured on Wednesday

Fishmongers have began to feel the nip from the fuel crisis, but they say customers planning their Good Friday feasts should not expect a wave of price rises – yet.

A a spike in diesel costs for fishing trawlers are starting to flow through to fishmongers as the seafood rush begins for Easter.

Fish prices and transport costs had risen between 10 to 15 per cent since the fuel crisis began, according to South Melbourne Seafoods director John Kyzintas (pictured below).

But customers should not expect to see a price hike when they go buy their fish, with the business wearing the increased costs.

‘Fish is always a little bit more expensive at Easter time – supply and demand. The fuel costs so far haven’t really hit us yet,’ Mr Kyzintas told AAP.

The squeeze point might arrive during winter when capture hauls fall to a quarter but the inclement weather means boats have to use twice as much fuel, he said.

But for Gem Pier Seafood manager Will Olver, rising fuel costs have already started to bite.

Hailing from a commercial fishing family, he said fuel expenses had jumped by as much as 50 per cent, leading to wholesale prices of some popular fish species to double.

‘We can’t pass that price on to the customer. They just won’t pay it,’ Mr Olver said.

‘But the volumes have increased, the workload has increased, and the wages have increased.’

Aged Care Minister Sam Rae has jumped to Anthony Albanese’s defence as backlash over the Prime Minister’s address to the nation mounts.

Rae was grilled by Today Show presenter Jayne Azzopardi during a fiery segment alongside Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie on Thursday.

He hit back at suggestions that Albanese’s address backfired.

‘Australians want to see a sensible government doing sensible things, Jayne. And that’s exactly what the Prime Minister was doing last night,’ he began.

‘They don’t want to see politics and drama at every turn.

Azzopardi interrupted: ‘But by making it a national address, he really did amp up the drama.

‘He could have just held a press conference, like he has done plenty of other times this week.

‘I think there was real anxiety yesterday. I had friends texting me, people were generally genuinely worried about what might come out of this address.’

Senator McKenzie agreed that there was great anxiety, particularly among Victorians who endured the world’s longest lockdown during the Covid pandemic.

‘There was no further reassurance,’ she said.

‘Australia stopped and tuned into the Prime Minister.

‘Instead of getting a sense of a plan, they got a lot of platitudes, a lot of cliches and I think it was very foolish advice of the Prime Minister to say, keep calm and carry on in the face of the grave situation our nation is actually facing.’

Pictured L-R: Sam Rae, Today show presenter Jayne Azzopardi and Nationals senator Bridget McKenzie.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese made a rare address to the nation to reassure Australians about the ongoing fuel crisis and its knock‑on effects — with limited success.

In the address, Albanese warned the coming months would remain difficult as the world grapples with the economic fallout from the United States and Israel’s war with Iran, which has triggered the closure of the Strait of Hormuz oil shipping route.

He urged Australians to remain calm, avoid stockpiling fuel and go about their business as normal.

Thousands of Aussies were quick to voice their disappointment, with several questioning why the Prime Minister opted for a pre‑recorded message.