Melon-gate was a non-issue in Japan. How did it get elevated to a crisis in Australia? | Malcolm Farr

From the publisher

The government continues to face an all-out effort, led by parts of the media, to depict Anthony Albanese as the Benny Hill of international diplomacy endangering Australia’s regional standing. There is ongoing anger – or so we’re told – over a crude double entendre from the Australian prime minister made over a month ago that indirectly involved his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi and her gift of two melons during her recent Australian visit. The incident initially produced the kind of sniggering usually found in a schoolyard, and grave demands for public apologies. Now the opposition has now referred the leak of a diplomatic note sent by Japan to Australia to…

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