Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has said he apologises “unequivocally” for comments he made about Kylie Minogue on a podcast last week.
During an interview on Nova’s ‘Bush Deep’ podcast, host Nikki Osborne asked him to play “shag, marry, date” with Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore.
Albanese said he’d do “all of the above” with Minogue.
Opposition figures have said the comments were beneath the office of the PM.
Context
The “shag, marry, date” question was asked during a rapid fire portion of Osborne’s interview at the PM's official Canberra residence.
Albanese married Jodie Haydon earlier this year. When first asked, he tried to sidestep it, pointing out he'd “just got married” and was “only six months in.”
Osborne pushed him to answer anyway, telling him to “pretend” the marriage had “gone tits up”.
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Albanese then conceded he’d choose “Kylie, clearly” for all three options, saying “she’s terrific”.
Response
On Monday, Albanese issued a statement through his office, saying “I apologise unequivocally for the comments”.
One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce said the PM “doesn’t need to play a stupid game” and that most people would have avoided the question.
Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg said the comments were beneath the PM’s office, adding: “It’s good that he’s apologised, but he shouldn’t have said it in the first place.”
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek told Sunrise she had not listened to the full podcast, but said: “If what the Prime Minister is saying is that he’s a fan of Kylie Minogue, I guess that puts him in a group with millions of other Australians”.
