Members of the former government and their right-wing media cheer squad trying to make political capital out of the rate at which the new Prime Minster is clocking up frequent flyer points are ignoring the national interest.
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When Labor came to power Australia's foreign relations were a bit of a mess. While we were working well with Britain and America, the relationship with France was poor and the Europeans didn't want to talk to us about trade because this country was seen as a climate-change laggard.
About the only thing we had going for us was that we had stood up to the China bully and that this had led to a strengthening of the "quad".
Mr Albanese's first overseas trip, which began within hours of his being sworn in, to meet the other leaders of the quad in Japan was crucial to our national security.
He had one-on-ones with the leaders of the US, Japan and India, and reaffirmed Australia's policy towards China and its use of coercion, intimidation, and soft power to expand its sphere of influence was unchanged.
Mr Albanese's visit to Europe this week to attend the NATO leaders' summit in Madrid is just as important. If Scott Morrison had been re-elected there is absolutely no doubt he would have been there. Given this, it's a bit unfair to try to pin him with the "Airbus Albo" tag, an obvious reference to the "Kevin 747" line from over a decade ago.
What people should be taking stock of is that for a politician who has not had a great deal of experience in foreign affairs Mr Albanese is doing a pretty impressive job.
The invitation to attend the NATO summit, which may seem curious given we don't have an Atlantic shore, is important in that it marks a growing recognition the world can longer be divided into separate spheres. This is, in part, because of the rise of globalism, and also because we are seeing the evolution of a Beijing-Moscow axis not unlike the Berlin-Tokyo axis of 80 years ago.
The rise of China is having an impact on the NATO countries and what is happening in the Ukraine is having an affect in the southern hemisphere. China's economic support of Russia through its purchases of oil and gas are helping to prolong that conflict.
NATO has invited the leaders of Australia, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand to its summit in order to hear their advice on building an Indo-Pacific focus for the organisation which, hitherto, has primarily focused on countering Russian power.
While in Madrid, Mr Albanese will meet with his Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez, and on the sidelines with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Mr Albanese will also meet with the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and give an address to the OECD council.
After Madrid he will head to Paris for a meeting with Emmanuelle Macron in what appears to be the first step in rebuilding a relationship that was put into the freezer after the submarine contract was scrapped.
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And, while there has been considerable pressure on Mr Albanese to visit Ukraine for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, his staff are remaining tight lipped on this issue, noting that "security briefings are being sought".
Such a visit would, if it did transpire, lend significant moral support in addition to the valuable gifts of materiel including Bushmaster vehicles and other assets Australia has already sent.
That said, it makes sense not to confirm such a visit in advance. If it does occur, as seems likely, Australians will hear about it after the event. That was the standard operating procedure with Prime Ministerial visits to Australian forces in Afghanistan and it's not likely to change this time around.
