Albanese Says 'Melons' Remark Taken Out Of Context Despite Crude Motorboating Gesture, Barking, Panting

ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact

The Prime Minister has not been able to shake this week's scandal as the fallout from Melon-gate continues to fall gently upon his mandate like Chernobyl radiation on surrounding European neighbours.

In the now infamous 'Bush Deep' podcast recorded with comedian Nikki Osborne earlier this year, Anthony Albanese made passing remarks about his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi gifting him a set of melons, to a rather unsavoury comment regarding his male attraction to Living Australian Treasure Kylie Minogue. Albanese also claimed in the podcast that he hates cats, thinks Peter Garrett is a fake baldy and that Kim Beazley died in 1996 and was replaced by a lookalike. None of those comments made the headlines, however.

Political commentators and the nation's media have been accused by Albanese of taking his 'melon' comments out of context.

This is despite the Prime Minister crudely gesturing the act of 'motorboating' and barking like a dog during the 'melon' segment.

He is also accused of panting with his tongue out, writhing on the couch in mock sexual ecstasy, then faking an epileptic seizure on the rug in front of the couch.

Speaking to The Advocate this afternoon in a private phone call, which we often do when we're both at a loose end on a Wednesday afternoon and trying to stay out of the pub, Albanese reiterated that without context, those remarks and actions could be interpreted as being 'disrespectful'.

"Ah look, I stand by it. I think it's pretty relatable stuff," he said.

"There's nothing in it. It reeks of there being nothing else to write about. I mean, just turn on Chris Kenny, he's still banging on about the Race Around The World shit. Who cares."

More to come.