Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued an "unequivocal" apology for comments he made about pop star Kylie Minogue during a podcast interview last week. The remarks, made during an appearance on the Bush Deep podcast with comedian Nikki Osborne, drew criticism from some lawmakers who deemed them "entirely inappropriate" and "disrespectful to women."
During the interview, conducted at the Prime Minister's official residence in Canberra, Osborne asked Albanese to place celebrities Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore in a "shag, marry or date" scenario. After initially attempting to defer the question by mentioning his recent marriage, Albanese ultimately responded, "Oh, Kylie, clearly," and when pressed, said, "All of the above. She's terrific."
The comments quickly generated backlash. Community Strong MP Zali Steggall stated the remarks were "entirely inappropriate" and that the Prime Minister "needs to learn to push back, lead by example and call it out as sexist." Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson posted on X that the comments were "disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians and demean the office of Prime Minister."
Richard Marles, who is serving as acting prime minister while Albanese is abroad, commented on the situation to ABC, reaffirming the government's commitment to elevating women. He noted that the current government was the first in Australian history to achieve gender equality in cabinet numbers.
Osborne, known for her YouTube comedy sketches, launched her podcast earlier this year, describing herself as a "wildly inappropriate journalist" who asks "questions no one else would dare."
In a brief statement released on Monday, Albanese stated, "I apologise unequivocally for the comments."