Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Angus Taylor each faced scrutiny this week over their handling of media questions — Albanese at a press conference in Newcastle that was cut short before he could fully answer questions about a gesture made during a podcast, and Taylor after his senior adviser Kane Silom berated a Channel 10 journalist who had been questioning Taylor about his links to a figure named in a NSW ICAC inquiry.
Taylor adviser attacks journalist, Albanese cuts press conference short amid separate controversies
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and opposition leader Angus Taylor each faced scrutiny this week over their handling of media questions — Albanese at a press conference in Newcastle that was cut short before he could fully answer questions about a gesture made during a podcast, and Taylor after his senior adviser Kane Silom berated a Channel 10 journalist who had been questioning Taylor about his links to a figure named in a NSW ICAC inquiry.
Channel 10 journalist Ashleigh Raper questioned Taylor about his connections to Dallas McInerney, who has been named in the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry into alleged illegal donations to the NSW Liberals. Taylor has previously denied providing money to the Liberal faction at the centre of the corruption probe into branch stacking, and repeated on Thursday that no payment had been made, while declining to answer questions about alleged discussions in which members of the group asked him for money. After Taylor walked away, Silom turned on Raper, saying: 'Are your ratings that bad? Seriously, that's a fricken disgrace. No wonder 10+ got cut' — a reference to a Channel 10 current affairs program that was recently wound back.
Albanese's press conference in Newcastle was held to mark a deal to keep the Tomago smelter running and was only the second he had held in the past month. The government had been arguing that a gesture Albanese made during a podcast interview — while discussing two melons gifted to him by Japan's prime minister — had been misinterpreted. When journalists attempted to question him on what he had meant by the gesture, Albanese began to answer before NSW Premier Chris Minns intervened to redirect the topic to the smelter. A staffer then cut off the press conference, preventing journalists from outside the local area from asking further questions.
The podcast episode in question, from the Bush Deep podcast recorded last month, had previously drawn criticism when Albanese made remarks about Kylie Minogue, for which he swiftly apologised. The controversy resurfaced after a former Japanese ambassador, Shingo Yamagami, publicly claimed the joke about the melons — gifted by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi — was disrespectful. Rather than conceding again, the government allowed a diplomatic note in which Japan said it saw no ill-intent in Albanese's remarks to reach the media. The Coalition referred the apparent leak of that diplomatic note to the federal police and pursued the matter in parliament.
Away from the separate media controversies, Albanese and Taylor met several times in private this week to negotiate deals on gambling advertising, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and a news media bargaining incentive — three bills the government wants passed before parliament rises next week. Albanese told the Labor caucus he expected the NDIS overhaul to pass with Coalition support, and expressed confidence a deal on gambling advertising restrictions was within reach. Crossbench MPs acknowledged they had 'lost the battle' on tougher advertising restrictions, and some within the Coalition were calling for an automatic legislative review to be included. A targeted crackdown on inducements offered to high-value gamblers and a simplified option to limit ads on streaming services was reported as the likely landing point.
Liberal senator Andrew Bragg also drew internal criticism after an address to the National Press Club in which he outlined a plan to reduce the National Construction Code to 80 pages, removing energy efficiency standards in favour of what he described as a 'simple' house with 'basic' amenities. The speech ranged well beyond his housing portfolio, with Bragg criticising 'indolent' leaders over the past 20 years, apologising for not doing 'more to stop the madness' during the Morrison era, and addressing tax, the GST, fiscal management, energy, and superannuation. Taylor subsequently counselled Bragg and said: 'Andrew expressed some of his personal views yesterday. I've made clear to him that his job is to express … the views of the Coalition and the senior team of which he is a member when it comes to immigration policy.' Nationals leader Matt Canavan separately objected to Bragg's suggestion that backpacker visas could be wound back under a Coalition migration crackdown. One unnamed colleague was reported to have described the speech as 'for Bragg by Bragg.'
- The source does not state what specific gesture Albanese made during the podcast interview.
- The source does not state the precise content of the joke Albanese made about Kylie Minogue or about the melons.
- The source does not state who leaked the Japanese diplomatic note to the media.
- The source does not state the current status of the federal police referral regarding the diplomatic note leak.
- The source does not state the identity of the colleague who described Bragg's speech as 'for Bragg by Bragg.'
- The source does not state whether Ashleigh Raper or Channel 10 responded formally to Silom's remarks.
- The source does not state the outcome of negotiations between Albanese and Taylor on the three pending bills.
Read the original at ABC News Australia