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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Josh Butler

As melon-gate raged, Albanese quietly cut deals in parliament. The PM should make some noise this week

Australian PM Anthony Albanese looks down during Question Time, near the ceremonial mace
‘It is a shame Albanese didn’t defuse the melons controversy by apologising or otherwise neutralising the issue, because it allowed the trivial to overshadow the substantial in a week when Labor got a fair bit done.’ Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

Last week’s melon-gate controversy was a pretty unedifying spectacle for everyone involved. There’s much more important work to be done in this parliamentary week, with a logjam of long-awaited reform landing all at once.

But beyond the immediate – disability, media, gambling harms, and a looming fight on immigration – it will give a glimpse into how the major parties plan to combat the rising populist rage from the right.

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