Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has shared a simple yet heartfelt message on Mother’s Day: “Happy Mother’s Day, Australia.”
Marking his first Mother’s Day since being re-elected in 2022, Albanese shared a photo reflecting on the personal sorrow the day brings as he remembered his late mother, Maryanne.
In 2023, Albanese has shared a bittersweet post on social media, saying Mother’s Day had always been difficult, marking the day his mother went to hospital and never returned. “Mother’s Day is a special day. Yet for me and many others it’s always a bit difficult,” he wrote, alongside photos of the two together.
“Mother’s Day was the day my mum went to hospital and never came back.”
Maryanne passed away on 25 May 2002, aged 65. She had raised her only child alone in public housing in Sydney’s inner west, battling rheumatoid arthritis and surviving on a disability pension. Despite their struggles, Albanese said his mother’s love and courage laid the foundation for his life and political journey.
“She always gave me unconditional love. And I feel very privileged to have had that. Mums really are special,” he said.
The Prime Minister, who has shared similar tributes in past years, often speaks of the sacrifices his mother made and how her strength inspired his belief in a fairer Australia. He has also recounted the challenges his mother faced as a young Catholic woman in 1963 who chose to keep a child conceived out of wedlock, raising him under the belief that his father had died.
In his 2021 Mother’s Day tribute, Albanese shared a heartfelt reflection on the last day he spent with his late mother, Maryanne, and the life lessons she taught him through adversity.
He recalled the day vividly: “I remember it was a Sunday in autumn of 2002. I had just flown back to Sydney from Canberra to take my mum Maryanne and her sister Margaret out for Mother’s Day lunch.”
“When I got to her home in Camperdown, I knew something wasn’t right. The front door had been left open.”
Maryanne suffered a brain aneurism that day and was rushed to hospital.
“Mum would spend two weeks in hospital before finally passing. Over those two weeks, we said goodbye – twice. Both times she came through – she was a real fighter. On the third time, she didn’t make it.”
Albanese also used the post to reflect on broader themes of poverty, disability, and social justice.
“We lived in council housing, which gave us a sense of security and stability. It was our home.”
“She taught me how to save – and how to spend wisely – because every dollar had to count.”
“The cutbacks that happened in mum’s lifetime meant she had to justify the support she was receiving.”
He said those experiences inspired his political journey:
“Truth is, mum was left behind – by people who counted her out, and by governments who cut back support.”
“I know the difference that governments can make on people’s lives because I lived it. Mum lived it. It’s what motivated me to get into politics.”
He closed the tribute with warmth and gratitude:
“Mum always gave me unconditional love. And I feel very privileged to have had that. Mums really are special.”
It wasn’t until he was 15 that Maryanne revealed the truth — that his father was an Italian steward she had met on a voyage to England. Albanese eventually met his father, Carlo, in Italy in 2009. Carlo passed away in 2014.
“Compared with her life, mine’s been an absolute dream,” Albanese once said in an interview, describing his mother’s sacrifices as the reason he entered politics — to ensure no Australian is left behind.
Albnaese simple message this Mother’s Day resonates with many who also grieve lost loved ones while honouring the enduring impact of mothers.
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