Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is being criticized for buying a multimillion dollar waterfront home during a national housing crisis with federal elections only months away.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese launched a new building programme to address a critical housing shortage on Tuesday, the same day news of his plans to buy a A$4.3 million ($2.9 million) seaside home dominated national headlines.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has bought a $4.3m (£2.2m) property on the New South Wales coast, raising eyebrows as his government aims to roll out an affordable housing initiative. He acquired the four-bedroom,

Australia is in the middle of a housing crisis, and many in the country are struggling with the high cost of living. So it may come as no surprise that news of the prime minister spending about $2.9 million on a seaside house perched atop a cliff with panoramic beach views did not go over well.