Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued an “unequivocal” apology after taking part in a “shag, marry, date” segment on comedian Nikki Osborne’s Bush Deep podcast and nominating Kylie Minogue for all three options.
In a brief statement released on Monday morning, Albanese said: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments.”
The remarks came during a rapid-fire round in which Albanese was asked to choose between Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore.
Albanese initially tried to avoid answering, saying: “I’ve just got married. I’m only six months in.”
Osborne pushed him to play along, asking: “But if it goes tits up?”
Albanese then replied about Minogue: “All of the above,” adding: “She’s terrific.”
In the same interview, Albanese also joked about his sex life with wife Jodie Haydon, replying: “Well, when we have time.”
Criticism of Albanese
The interview was released late last week, with criticism building over the weekend.
Independent MP Zali Steggall described the comments as “entirely inappropriate” and said Albanese needed to push back rather than participate.
Shadow communications minister Sarah Henderson also criticised the remarks, describing them as disrespectful to women, embarrassing for Australians and demeaning to the office of prime minister.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles said the government had a strong record on elevating women, while Labor minister Tanya Plibersek defended Albanese by pointing to his broader record on gender equality.
Plibersek said she had not heard the interview, but added: “If what the prime minister is saying is he’s a fan of Kylie Minogue, I guess that puts him in a group with millions of other Australians, including me.”
Political reaction and context
Albanese has led the Australian Labor Party and served as prime minister since 2022. He married Jodie Haydon in late 2025.
The backlash comes as Albanese continues to face scrutiny over broader social policy issues, including previous comments on sexuality and gender questions in the national census.
Minogue, who rose to fame on Neighbours before becoming one of Australia’s most successful pop exports, has long been embraced as a gay icon with a devoted LGBTQ+ fanbase.
She has not publicly responded to Albanese’s comments.
For critics, the controversy is about more than a single podcast joke. It has become a question of judgement, gender politics and whether the country’s leader should have challenged the framing of the segment rather than playing along.
For Albanese, the apology was short and direct. Whether the matter fades quickly or continues to follow him politically may depend on how voters read the moment: as an awkward attempt at humour, or as a lapse beneath the office he holds.
