Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Millions of Australians have now seen with their own eyes the Prime Minister's appalling behaviour on the Bush Deep podcast. Now, he embarrasses all of us by refusing to apologise to the Prime Minister of Japan. Why won't the Prime Minister stop treating us like fools? Man up, and say sorry to the Prime Minister of Japan.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

Milton Dick (Speaker) | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Members on my right will cease interjecting. The leader asked his question.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) | Link to this | Hansard source

My office and my team have spent four years carefully rebuilding our relationships in the region. We take our relationship seriously, including our regular engagement with Japan, and that is why we will always put the national interest first, and we continue to do so. The Prime Minister of Japan is a good friend of Australia. Prime Minister Takaichi is the third Japanese prime minister I have had dealings with. All of them have been constructive. She was a welcome guest here, as was one of her predecessors, Prime Minister Kishida. I have had the privilege of visiting Japan on three occasions, and our relationship has never been more strategically aligned.