The Japanese government has broken its silence on Anthony Albanese’s “melons” controversy, downplaying concern over a gesture he made in a podcast guest appearance about a diplomatic gift from his Japanese counterpart.
The prime minister faced calls to apologise to Sanae Takaichi for a third straight day in federal parliament.
Meanwhile, the opposition has vowed to slash Australia’s National Construction Code and linked migration to housing completions as it unveiled new housing policies.
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