Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has refused to apologise for his "melon" gaffe as the Coalition calls on the Australian Federal Police to investigate allegations that confidential correspondence between the Prime Minister's office and the Japanese government was leaked. The fallout continues a month after Albanese made remarks about his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi, during an appearance on comedian Nikki Osborne's Bush Deep podcast.
Albanese reflected on being gifted two "beautiful" Shizuoka-grown melons during Takaichi's recent visit to Australia after Osborne jokingly asked whether Japan's first female prime minister had "smuggled" the highly prized fruit through customs.
The Japanese government wrote to the Prime Minister's Department last month, suggesting the matter had been the subject of "sensationalised reporting in the Australian media". Japan reassured Australia that it did not believe there was any "ill intention" in Albanese's comments, adding that "no action" would be taken to "allow the Australian media to move on".
Opposition calls for police investigation
Federal Opposition frontbenchers Ted O'Brien and James Paterson have written to the Australian Federal Police expressing concerns that a diplomatic note from one of Australia's closest allies may have been leaked to the media without authorisation. "Given that communications between governments can be classified, it is possible that this disclosure is a criminal offence," they wrote.
They added: "It is critically important that Australia's bilateral partners believe that their confidential correspondence will be handled appropriately by the Australian government … it would be gravely damaging to our national interest if they formed the view that the Australian government does not take unauthorised disclosure seriously by promptly investigating it."
The ongoing saga sparked a fiery clash between Housing Minister Clare O'Neil and Coalition senator Michaelia Cash on Sunrise on Wednesday. O'Neil accused the Coalition of losing the plot and wasting police resources, saying: "My personal view is that the AFP should be allowed to focus on their job, which is keeping Australians safe and fighting crime."
O'Neil said voters are concerned about paying bills on kitchen counters, buying groceries, filling up cars, Medicare and education. "Michaelia could be coming to Canberra and advocating for those issues that matter to people at home, instead of trying to perpetuate this ridiculous thing," O'Neil said.
Fiery clashes over podcast remarks
Cash interrupted and hit back, accusing O'Neil of defending the Prime Minister's "grubby, dirty comments". Cash called the stance of Labor women an "utter disgrace", adding: "Your side of politics, and in particular the women, all you like to do is lecture others. But when it is your Prime Minister demeaning himself, demeaning Australians and worse than that, making those dirty, grubby comments about the female Prime Minister of Japan, apparently that is okay."
Cash said the situation showed "two standards" from Labor women. On Tuesday, Senator Paterson grilled Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong over the matter, branding the leaking of the letter as a "desperate attempt to clean up the prime minister's self-inflicted melon mess" that risked a critical bilateral relationship. Wong accused the Opposition of "confecting a diplomatic issue".
Earlier this week, Albanese pushed back against suggestions his remarks were a crude joke about Takaichi's anatomy. "This assertion is wrong," he said.
Pauline Hanson questions missing melons
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has also weighed in on the controversy. "Something's missing - Albanese met with Japan's Prime Minister but appears to have misplaced his melons," Hanson wrote on X.
Hanson pointed out that Albanese declared an art vinyl record-storage cabinet given by Takaichi, but no Royal Crown melon appeared on his parliamentary disclosure register, noting some melons sell for tens of thousands of dollars. She added that Bush Deep appeared to be his only recent podcast interview without a transcript on the PM's official media page, asking: "Prime Minister, where's the melon?"
During the podcast, Albanese also sparked outrage by playing a game of "shag, marry or date" involving Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore. After stating, "I've just got married. I'm only six months in," Albanese was asked by Osborne what he would do "if it goes tits up". He replied, "Kylie, clearly," and added, "All of the above," when asked if he would marry, sleep with and date her, saying: "She's terrific."
Elsewhere in the interview, Osborne asked if Albanese and his new wife Jodie Haydon were "bonking like rabbits". Albanese replied: "Well, when we have time. After the footy. It's always a good aphrodisiac, a Souths win," referencing the couple's chosen NRL team.
