From Japanese melons and multi-billion-dollar smelter bailouts to crushed e-bike promises and explosive ICAC hearings, Australian politics is in absolute turmoil. 

In this episode of The Week That Was, Brent sits down with political commentator Mark Latham to cut through the spin and break down the massive stories dominating the national conversation. They unpack the fallout from "Melon-gate" and the questions surrounding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's judgment, the heavy lifting behind the $2.5 billion Tomago aluminium smelter rescue, and the deep political tremors coming out of ICAC's Operation Rosny. Plus, they tackle the slow rollout of NSW's seized e-bike laws and Pauline Hanson's recent foreign policy stumbling blocks.

• Melon-Gate: Unpacking the bizarre diplomatic media storm, unfortunate hand gestures, and why a couple of Japanese melons became a matter for Parliament and the Federal Police.

• The Tomago Bailout: Analyzing whether the multi-billion-dollar federal and state intervention to save the country's biggest smelter is a smart industrial investment or taxpayers cleaning up a government-made energy mess.

• ICAC Operation Rosny: Diving into the explosive Independent Commission Against Corruption hearings examining factional politics, donations, and lobbying in NSW.

• The E-Bike Blunder: Exploring why NSW’s tough new laws allowing illegal bikes to be seized and crushed have resulted in zero crushed bikes six months later.

• Foreign Policy Stumbles: Breaking down Pauline Hanson's struggles to name the key leaders of regional neighbours Japan and Indonesia.

If you want a sharp, unfiltered look at the scandals and policy battles shaping the country, this is an absolute must-listen.