Funding the 12-metre platypus, and other decisions that troubled the Howard government

The 2003 cabinet papers reveal debates ranging from privatisation and workplace relations to spam and the World Expo in Japan

John Howard’s ministers wrestled with many weighty policy issues in 2003, but a surprising one that troubled them was the size of Australia’s presence at a looming World Expo in Japan.

Cabinet papers released by the National Archives of Australia on Monday show ministers wanted to avoid offending the Japanese government with an excessively small presence.