Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong was questioned about Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's recent controversial podcast appearance, including remarks about Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and his own sex life. During a live television interview on Sky News, Wong was pressed by presenter Laura Jayes on whether she would have responded differently if a conservative prime minister had made similar comments.
Wong stated that no concerns were raised by either the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade or Japanese counterparts regarding Albanese's euphemistic comment about the Japanese delegation presenting him with "a couple of melons" in May. She explained this was a reference to the delegation gifting Albanese watermelons, symbolizing the resumption of Japanese watermelon imports to Australia.
Albanese has since issued a public apology for the podcast. Wong told Jayes, "The Prime Minister has made his apology, public, and clear, and I think the matter has been resolved." She added, "If someone apologises unequivocally, I try to tell my children you should be gracious when someone apologises."
Jayes further probed Wong, asking if the comments were "sexist, misogynistic, in bad taste, cringy, or all of the above." Wong, laughing off the questioning, reiterated that Albanese's apology was "unequivocal" and that the matter was closed. However, Jayes continued to challenge Wong, suggesting that many would expect a less forgiving reaction if a conservative leader had made comparable remarks.
In the podcast, Albanese also fielded questions about who he would "shag, marry, or date" among Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore, responding "Kylie, clearly." He also discussed his relationship with Jodie Haydon, noting that a win by their favored NRL team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, served as a "good aphrodisiac."