Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued an unequivocal apology for remarks he made about pop star Kylie Minogue on the Bush Deep podcast with comedian Nikki Osborne. The interview prompted comments that a number of MPs described as “entirely inappropriate” and “disrespectful to women”, as the question asked the PM to place Kylie, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore in a “shag, marry or date” scenario.
Albanese initially replied “I’ve just married, I’m only six months in” before pushing back with a vague “Kylie, clearly”. The interview then turned to the question of whether he’d “shag, marry or date” the Australian icon, to which he summed up “all of the above – she’s terrific.” The remarks ignited a wave of criticism from MPs such as Zali Steggall, who called them sexist, and Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson, who accused him of humiliating Australians and the Prime Minister’s office.
The apology was delivered in a brief statement: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments.” Albanese defended his comments as a mistake and pledged to learn from the incident. Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles echoed the government’s commitment to elevating women in society, noting the cabinet’s gender parity and stating the administration’s resolve to champion equality.
Albanese’s discussion of his worst gift from a recent overseas trip, a pair of melons from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, was met with a comment from Osborne that he arrived “looking like Pamela Anderson.” The episode underscores the weight of respectful discourse required from public figures, particularly when they touch upon the achievements of prominent women in the public domain. Read more on BBC News.
