Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing fresh criticism over comments about Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s “melons”, with former ambassador to Japan Murray McLean reportedly accusing the Australian leader of casually mocking one of the country’s most important partners.
The controversy stems from Mr Albanese’s recent appearance on comedian Nikki Osborne’s podcast, where a discussion turned to melons gifted by Ms Takaichi.
“The Japanese Prime Minister brought a melon here,” Mr Albanese said.
When Osborne questioned how the fruit had made it through customs and asked whether the Japanese leader had “smuggled it”, Mr Albanese corrected her to point out Ms Takaichi was a woman.
Osborne then joked, “Oh, I’m expecting... a couple of melons.”
“She brought two,” Mr Albanese replied, before Osborne added, “She just came in looking like Pamela Anderson.”
“She brought two,” Mr Albanese repeated.
“Yes, and they’re beautiful,” he said.
The comments have now drawn criticism from Mr McLean, who reportedly described the exchange as “insulting” and unthoughtful”, saying the Japanese Prime Minister would not have expected to “be so casually mocked by Australia’s leader”.
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek strongly defended Mr Albanese during an appearance on Sunrise on Monday morning, rejecting the former ambassador’s interpretation of the exchange.
“No, no, I completely disagree with that interpretation of what the Prime Minister was saying,” she said.
“I completely disagree that he was in any way making the suggestion that you’re proposing or that the former ambassador is proposing now. No way.”
Ms Plibersek said Australians could watch the exchange and “make their own minds up”, insisting Australia continued to enjoy an “excellent relationship” with Japan.
“Japan is a very important strategic and economic partner,” she said.
“I think the former ambassador is wrong in his interpretation.”
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce, however, launched a blistering attack on the Prime Minister, arguing it did not matter how the government interpreted the comments but how they were received in Japan.
“It’s not how you see it. It’s how they see it,” he said.
Mr Joyce described the remark as “completely wrong” and argued it risked damaging Australia’s relationship with the world’s fourth-largest economy and a crucial strategic partner.
“He’s trying to be clever. It wasn’t clever for the fourth biggest economy in the world, an absolutely vital strategic partner in our defence,” Mr Joyce said.
He accused Mr Albanese of making a “stupid, puerile comment” in an attempt to appeal to younger podcast listeners, arguing the exchange “demeans the office of Prime Minister”.
Mr Joyce also linked the controversy to another moment from the same podcast, in which Mr Albanese participated in a “shag, marry, date” game involving Australian public figures including Kylie Minogue.
Ms Plibersek refused to concede the melon exchange had crossed a line.
“I think it was a lovely gift,” she said.
“I think it was a complete misinterpretation from the former ambassador, a completely unnecessary interpretation of what the Prime Minister said, and I think people watching it for themselves can make their own minds up.”
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