Anthony Albanese bid on ‘stunning’ central coast hobby farm before $4.3 million clifftop home purchase

Anthony Albanese previously tried to purchase a hobby farm on the central coast confirming that his search for the perfect post-politics property has been ongoing for years.

It emerged this week that the Prime Minister has purchased a $4.3 million clifftop property in Copacabana on the NSW central coast with sweeping views of MacMasters Beach.

That prompted a storm of controversy with Labor MPs privately questioning his judgement and suggesting the move is “tone deaf” given the looming election will be fought on housing affordability.

Mr Albanese, who grew up in public housing, has long referred to his ‘log cabin’ story of growing up poor as a teenager with his single mother.

Radio host Ben Fordham, who broke the story of the $4.3 million clifftop home, has now revealed it was not the first property that the Prime Minister tried to buy on the central coast.

A caller named Phil told 2GB he went “head to head” with the Prime Minister at an auction last year.

He claims to have outbid him at auction at Kincumber mid-last year for a “stunning rural acreage”.

“The agent was stunned when I won. I mean, 20 years as a copper, then 23 years as a handyman at a high school, and I was the winner,” he said.

“Immediately after the auction, all the neighbouring acreage property owners came up and said, ‘we’re so glad you bought it,’ because when Albo wanted a private viewing, every nearby neighbour had to be visited by the federal police.

“They wanted to see who had firearms, DV orders, et cetera. It was then that they realised the ongoing security implications of having a PM as a neighbour.”

Fordham said the story “contradicts the theory that the PM is all of a sudden, wanting to buy because he thinks he’s going to lose the next election”.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that more than $100 million in taxpayer funds will be spent to upgrade the main road which leads to the Prime Minister’s new beach house.

There’s no suggestion the road did not need to be upgraded and it was all set in train well before the PM bought the property, but he would have been aware of the upgrade given he personally held a press conference about it.

Asked about the upgrade, Mr Albanese said at the time, “The Minister might want to respond there, but Avoca Drive, one of the times I was here I know that the surveying work has all been done. And I know that this is a real choke point, so it’s very important, and that’s why we’ve provided funding to make sure that it happens.”

Mr Albanese initially committed $30 million during the federal election campaign and then another $70 million in January 2023.

Avoca Drive is the main road that Mr Albanese would need to drive on to reach his new waterfront mansion.

Mr Albanese insisted this week that he still knows what it’s like to live on struggle street.

He maintained that he’s not planning for retirement, amid speculation he plans to rent out the property for $2500 a week.

A savvy property investor, Mr Albanese bought the luxury home for less than it sold for in 2021. He still owns a home in Marrickville, and is planning to offload an investment rental in Sydney.

The Prime Minister bought the property with his bride-to-be, Jodi Haydon, who has family who live in the area.

“I have, of course, I am much better off, as a Prime Minister, I earn a good income,” Mr Albanese said.

“I understand that. I understand that I’ve been fortunate.

“But I also know what it’s like to struggle. My mum lived in the public housing that she was born in for all of her 65 years. And I know what it’s like, which is why I want to help all Australians into a home, whether it be public homes, or private rentals, or home ownership.”

Mr Albanese insisted he was not planning for retirement any time soon and wanted to stay “in my current job for a very long period of time”.

The Prime Minister also scored a huge pay bump after the election and now earns over $550,000 — before allowances.