Overview
- The prime minister appeared on comedian Nikki Osborne’s Bush Deep podcast on July 2 and, during a ‘shag, marry, date’ game, named Kylie Minogue and replied “all of the above,” prompting a brief statement in which he said: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments.”
- Politicians from across the spectrum criticised the remarks as inappropriate and disrespectful to women, with figures such as Zali Steggall and Senator Sarah Henderson saying the exchange fell below the standards expected of the office.
- Senior Labor ministers publicly defended Albanese’s record on gender equality and noted the different norms of a comedy podcast, while Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government remains committed to elevating women.
- The Bush Deep interview, recorded at the prime minister’s official residence, included other crude asides about the PM’s private life and diplomatic gifts, and the video was widely shared online before the apology.
- The episode has fuelled a wider debate over how leaders should balance relatability and decorum, has placed extra scrutiny on the PM’s conduct while he is overseas, and Kylie Minogue had not commented publicly at the time of reporting.