Albanese's Caribbean trip is no holiday as he faces grilling over economy

Welcome back to your weekly federal politics update, where Courtney Gould gets you up to speed on the happenings from Parliament House.

Anthony Albanese has been searching for a reason to justify the optics of trading Canberra for the Caribbean the same week the Reserve Bank was expected to lift rates again.

A personal plea from King Charles locked in his travel to Antigua and Barbuda for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). It was a summit he could have missed, but he assured the public it was a good opportunity for a chat with his UK counterpart Andy Burnham.

The "enormous pressure" caused by the almost doubled arrivals of UK backpackers was at the top of the list, as the government continues to hunt for ways to reduce net-overseas migration.

Albanese wants to tighten the rules under the Morrison-era free trade deal that exempted British travellers from regional and rural work. He did not secure that this week.

The issue was almost absent from the UK prime minister's readout, beyond mention of "the importance of ensuring opportunities for young people both at home and abroad". It didn't make Albanese's readout either.

In a room that bared more of a resemblance to a school portable than a tropical island getaway, Albanese said talks were "very constructive" and insisted there were options officials were going to canvas further.

The failure to come home with a deal will only fuel the Coalition's criticisms of the trip at a time when so many Australians are feeling hip-pocket pain.

The prime minister's travel schedule over the coming weeks isn't letting up either. He'll head to the Türkiye resort town of Antalya for COP31, before he stops in the Philippines and China. Another expected trip to the United States for the G20 in Miami is also on the agenda for December.

In full view of cameras, Albanese mentioned questions from reporters to King Charles about why he thought it was important to attend CHOGM.

"Oh God, it's all my fault, oh no," the King replied.

One of Albanese's more flimsy rules (he applies it when it suits him) is not to address domestic issues abroad. But on this trip, he had no choice but to defend his economic record when asked about it both ahead of, and after, the central bank lifted rates to an 18-year high.

Engaging with the international community was part of making our economy stronger, he argued.

Half a world away, a defeated-looking treasurer was left to take the impact of the fifth rate hike this year.

Jim Chalmers again shifted the blame for persistently high inflation. The message was complicated by the Reserve Bank, which pointed out the hike was to deal with "domestic capacity pressures".

Basically, Governor Michele Bullock said it's not that the oil shock from the Middle East war wasn't a contributing factor, but things at home hadn't helped matters either.

Chalmers is facing calls to tighten the budget belt as the expenditure review committee meets in the lead up to the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher stressed they were looking for savings "across the board" while at the same time pointing the finger at the Coalition for blocking some savings measures in the Senate.

But on the question of net savings — when savings are greater than the sum of spending — the government was non-committal.

Interest rates are the only lever the central bank has to reduce inflation. It's why the prime minister called it a blunt instrument as he put both physical and metaphorical distance between himself and the decision.

Bullock made it clear that a slowdown in economic growth was on the way. We aren't heading for a recession, but it's sure going to feel like one, she warned.

For a government that's already struggling with a mid-term slump, the perception that nothing is getting better is another problem it'll have to overcome. And quick.

Chalmers conceded last week a bit of paint had been chipped off after the budget. This week he was not only defending his record, but also whether he should keep his job.

"I'm wondering whether you've given any thought to stepping aside and giving someone else a go," a reporter asked.

If Albanese follows the pattern of last term, there will be a frontbench refresh at some point; much of the cabinet has been around since the last time rates were this high, back in the Rudd era.

Speaking of shuffling around, one person looking to switch houses is Nationals leader Matt Canavan. He has put his hand up to leave the Senate and seek pre-selection for the Central Queensland seat of Capricornia after Michelle Landry announced her retirement.

As resident numbers man Casey Briggs wrote this week, the move is a risk. He'll face a fight from One Nation to win the seat. But if recent opinion polls are to be believed, he is in an uphill battle to retain his Senate spot anyway.

In a courtroom down the road from Parliament House in Canberra, Anika Wells this week listened to part of the first day of a challenge to the government's social media laws.

Reddit and the advocacy group Digital Freedom Project are both asking the High Court to throw out the laws, arguing the ban is unconstitutional because it excludes young people from civic engagement.

The two teens who were named co-plaintiffs in the original filing against the Commonwealth were removed from the case over concerns they would be held personally liable for legal costs should the matter fail.

Nearly five million social media accounts have been blocked since the laws came into force last December, and Reddit has questioned the speed at which the laws were passed through parliament. Wells, who took questions outside the courtroom, noted she wasn't the communications minister at the time.

Around the same time in Antigua, Andy Burnham was congratulating Albanese on being a real leader in the online safety space.

Next week, the government's digital duty of care laws will come under further scrutiny as a Senate inquiry kicks off.

It's legislation both Albanese and Wells would love off their to-do list by the time parliament rises for the end of the year.