It is ironic that at the same time the government is embroiled in a debate over spending $368 billion on a fleet of nuclear submarines millions of Australians are struggling to keep a roof over their heads, food on the table, and the lights on.
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While the AUKUS discussion has dominated the headlines this week the cost of living crisis has not only not gone away, it is expected to get worse before it gets better.
It is imperative that now he has returned from India and the US the Prime Minister makes it clear he and his government are focussed on what is happening in the here and now.
A failure to do so, especially given limited promised relief has to wait for the Budget which is still almost two months away, would give the impression the PM is more concerned with cutting a dashing figure on the world stage than tackling the worst crisis of consumer confidence in more than 50 years.
The "time to buy a major household item" index has fallen to its lowest level since the survey began in 1974. The "time to buy a dwelling index" is at its lowest level since 1989 when interest rates were 17 per cent. Business confidence has slumped into negative territory.
The economy is, in short, in a mess with substantial increases in gas and electricity prices expected in many jurisdictions from the start of July, inflation still running hot and fears the interest rate hikes aren't over yet.
Many observers believe the economic crisis, which is hitting the poor and the vulnerable disproportionately hard, will get worse before it starts to get better.
This is a bitter pill for battlers to swallow given the Treasurer has repeatedly made it clear the government has no plans for targeted direct financial assistance to those at the bottom of the income pyramid.
The reason? He "doesn't want to make the Reserve Bank's job any harder". That is almost quaint. Helping people pay essential household bills without going even deeper into debt with credit card providers and payday lenders is very different to a cash splash that would be spent on big screen televisions and the like.
Giving a hand up - not a handout - to pensioners, people on JobSeeker, the disabled and self-funded retirees on low fixed incomes is unlikely to cause an inflation spike.
That is particularly true given even the RBA governor has repeatedly conceded many of the factors driving inflation up - such as the war in Ukraine - are beyond Australia's control and do not respond to interest rate increases.
On a more positive note there are signs things could start to turn around before the end of the year. The American Federal Reserve Bank is now tipped to run with a 25 basis point increase rather than the 50 basis points that had been flagged previously at its next meeting following the failure of two US banks.
In the words of one wit: "Now the Federal Reserve has broken something [the banks] the rate hikes are [almost?] over".
Locally there is even talk the RBA might keep rates on hold in April. Some Pollyannas have even gone so far as to say a cut is possible, although it would seem highly unlikely before next year.
In other good news the price of oil was below $US70 a barrel on Friday, almost half its $122 peak. Bowser prices should start to come down soon.
While the apparent lack of popular support for AUKUS will be weighing on the PM's mind it is not his biggest challenge.
That, in the words made famous by Bill Clinton, remains the same: "It's the economy, stupid".
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