&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Australian PM Albanese under fire over 'melon' joke about Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi")
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declined to apologise on Tuesday (Aug 11), despite pressure to do so, after a recording surfaced showing him making crude remarks about a gift he had received from his Japanese counterpart. The controversy follows an earlier incident in which Albanese apologised for comments made during a conversation with the Bush Deep podcast last month, in which he said he would "s**g" singer Kylie Minogue.
This week, separate remarks from that same interview drew criticism from political opponents. In those comments, Albanese had joked about a present given to him by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during her visit to Australia in May.
Speaking with podcast host Nikki Osborne at his official residence, Albanese described receiving an unusual gift: a Japanese royal melon from Takaichi. Such melons are regarded as high-end luxury items in Japan, with Japan's former ambassador to Australia noting they can cost upwards of $190.
Also read: 'Catch a train, bus, or tram to work': Australian PM Albanese advises citizens amid West Asia war
When Osborne asked whether Takaichi had brought the fruit through Australian customs without declaring it, Albanese raised his hands and remarked, "got a couple of melons." Osborne then responded by comparing Takaichi's appearance upon arrival to that of Pamela Anderson. Following the resurfacing of these comments, Australia's opposition leader demanded that Albanese apologise, calling the joke "insulting."
When questioned in parliament on Tuesday about whether he would apologise for what was described as "disrespectful behaviour," Albanese pushed back, stating: "I reject the assertion in the question." He further described Takaichi as both "a friend of Australia and a friend of mine."
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
Australia's Foreign Minister Penny Wong also defended the prime minister, dismissing suggestions that his remarks had been intended as an insult. Wong stated that Albanese had made clear he never intended for his comments to be interpreted in the manner they had been by opposition members.
