Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologized after participating in a "shag, date or marry" game during a podcast interview, describing his remarks as unequivocally regrettable.
During an appearance on the Bush Deep podcast with host Nikki Osborne, Albanese was asked to choose between Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore for the game. When pressed after stating he had been married for six months, Albanese responded that he would choose Minogue for all three categories, calling her "terrific."
The Prime Minister's comments subsequently drew criticism, with some colleagues accusing him of resorting to "locker-room antics." Independent Fowler MP Dai Le suggested the remarks were "unbecoming of a gentleman" and that Albanese might have been attempting to appeal to a younger audience.
Zali Steggall, MP for Community Strong, stated that it was "entirely inappropriate" for the Prime Minister to engage with the question and that he "needs to learn to push back, lead by example and call it out as sexist."
Albanese's apology came after the interview, where he stated, "I apologise unequivocally for the comments."