Live: Teal MP urges Albanese to 'pick up phone' and apologise for melon gaffe

Anthony Albanese is again facing calls to personally apologise to his Japanese counterpart over a gesture he made about two melons Sanae Takaichi gifted him. Follow all the updates in our live blog. Tue 11 Aug 2026 at 7:16amTue 11 Aug 2026 at 7:16amHanson-Young hits out at 'weak' Taylor amid gambling ad reform talksGreens senator Sarah-Hanson Young has accused the opposition leader of being "weak" as negotiations over Labor's gambling advertising reforms continue.The prime minister is set to hold further discussions with Angus Taylor today, after indicating yesterday he was confident of striking a deal with the Coalition by focusing on inducements in amendments to the bill.Hanson-Young, who is the Greens' communications spokesperson, says her party wants to see the government ban inducements and all gambling advertising, as well as establish a national gambling regulator."We will obviously wait to see what the government is willing to put on the table, the ball is in their court," Hanson-Young says."But let me also be clear. I'm not holding my breath that Angus Taylor is going to deliver a good result here. And I don't think he's that strong. I don't think he's really got it in him."The Greens senator says she spoke with Communications Minister Anika Wells yesterday afternoon, and will continue to engage with the government.Tue 11 Aug 2026 at 7:11amTue 11 Aug 2026 at 7:11amCash calls for Wong to explain if she'd asked the PM to apologise for melon gestureSticking with the PM's 'melons' gaffe, Liberal frontbencher Michaelia Cash has called for Penny Wong to weigh in.Speaking with Nine, the Shadow Attorney-General said the gesture was "dirty" and "crude", and if it had been a Liberal PM to make the remark then you'd have heard the criticism all the way in WA."I want to hear directly from our foreign minister. Did you raise this personally with Mr Albanese? Have you raised it with the Japanese government?," she told Nine."But more than that, did you tell your prime minister to apologise of his crude and dirty comments that just haven't embarrassed him - they have now embarrassed Australia."Tue 11 Aug 2026 at 7:03amTue 11 Aug 2026 at 7:03amMonique Ryan calls for PM to pick up the phone and apologise for melons gaffeAnthony Albanese is again facing calls to personally apologise to his Japanese counterpart over a gesture he made about two melons Sanae Takaichi gifted him.In an interview last month, Albanese gestured to his chest when recalling the melons during an exchange with Bush Deep podcast host Nikki Osborne, who asked how the fruit had been smuggled into the country.The incident resurfaced yesterday after after former Australian ambassador Shingo Yamagami criticised the exchange in The Australian, labelling it "insulting", ignorant and a betrayal of the "close relationship" between Australia and Japan.Teal independent Monique Ryan told Nine she thought the podcast appearance was "pretty cringe" and the PM did not "cover himself in glory"."I think we can probably expect a bitter better from our ... chief of state, you know, especially when we're talking about a really special gift that the Japanese state has given to the country," she said."If I were the prime minister, I'd call, pick up the phone to the Japanese prime minister and apologise to her on this one."Tue 11 Aug 2026 at 6:58amTue 11 Aug 2026 at 6:58amGovernment considering vaccinating birds and poultry, says WattEnvironment Minister Murray Watt says the government is considering vaccinating birds and poultry as Australia's bird flu outbreak widens.Watt told 7.30 Australia is facing a very serious risk and would be guided by experts in the nation's response."That is something we are giving consideration to," Watt said of vaccinations."Over the last couple of years, we have undertaken some trials of vaccinations when it comes to endangered species in a captive setting."We are giving consideration to whether that should be expanded. And as with all of these issues, we'll be relying on the expert advice we receive from those who know even more about this than ministers of a government."You can catch up on last night's episode of 7.30 on ABC iView. Tue 11 Aug 2026 at 6:44amTue 11 Aug 2026 at 6:44amGood morning 👋Hi friends, welcome to our politics live blog. I'm Courtney Gould from the ABC's Parliament House team, here to guide you through the day.Can you hear that? That's the sound of staffers cracking open an energy drink or firing up their coffee machines ahead of parliament's return at midday.Anthony Albanese is trying to land a deal over its National Disability Insurance Scheme and gambling reforms. Also in his sights is the passage of the News Media Bargaining Incentive, which would force tech giants to pay for the use of news on their platforms.The prime minister held talks with Angus Taylor yesterday, indicating there would be movement on inducements used to entice punters. He also expects the NDIS reforms will be passed by the end of the sitting fortnight.Speaking of talks, the PM will also be welcoming Vietnam President To Lam to Canberra this morning. More on that shortly from friend of the blog Stephen Dziedzic.Grab a coffee and settle in. Let's get blogging.