'Date, marry, shag': Australia PM Anthony Albanese apologizes for crude Kylie Minogue remark

Australian PM Albanese apologizes for crude Kylie Minogue remark on podcast

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologized "unequivocally" after he played along with a crude game on a comedy podcast, naming singer Kylie Minogue as someone he would "shag, marry, and date." The remarks, made during an interview with comedian Nikki Osborne on the Bush Deep podcast, have drawn sharp criticism from female lawmakers and opposition figures, and have reignited debate about the risks and rewards of politicians courting new media audiences.

The incident

During the podcast episode published on Friday, Osborne asked Albanese to play "shag, marry, date" with three Australian celebrities: Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, and Rhonda Burchmore. Albanese initially declined to answer, saying he had "only just got married" and was "only six months in," according to multiple accounts. But when pressed about what he would do if his marriage broke down, he replied, "Oh, Kylie clearly." When Osborne asked if he would "marry Kylie and shag her and date her," Albanese answered, "All of the above."

The exchange was reported by several outlets, including ABC Australia, The Guardian — World, and the Jerusalem Post, all of which quoted the same dialogue.

Apology and reaction

On Monday, Albanese released a statement through his office apologizing. "I apologise unequivocally for the comments," he said, as reported by ABC Australia and the Jerusalem Post.

The comments were quickly condemned by female parliamentarians. Zali Steggall, an independent MP, called them "entirely inappropriate" and said Albanese should "learn to push back, lead by example and call it out as sexist," according to ABC Australia. Shadow Communications Minister Sarah Henderson, quoted by both ABC Australia and the Jerusalem Post, said the remarks were "disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians and demean the office of Prime Minister." Henderson also said Albanese "got into the gutter with his grubby remarks," which showed "extremely poor judgement."

Government frontbencher Tanya Plibersek defended Labor's record on women's equality, though she said she had not heard the full podcast, ABC Australia reported.

A spokesperson for Minogue did not immediately respond to a request for comment, according to the Jerusalem Post.

Broader context: politicians and new media

The controversy has also highlighted the growing trend of politicians appearing on popular podcasts and social media platforms to reach audiences who have tuned out of traditional political coverage. Both ABC Australia and The Guardian — World noted that Albanese's appearance on Bush Deep — which has close to 500,000 Instagram followers — was part of a broader strategy by politicians to engage with new media outlets. However, as The Guardian — World observed, such appearances carry risks, and Albanese's misstep has been described as an "entirely avoidable and regrettable controversy."

Perspectives

• Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese apologized "unequivocally" for the comments, according to his office's statement.
• Zali Steggall (independent MP) called the remarks "entirely inappropriate" and said Albanese should have declined to participate and called the game out as sexist.
• Sarah Henderson (Shadow Communications Minister) said the comments were "disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians and demean the office of Prime Minister."
• Tanya Plibersek (government frontbencher) defended Labor's record on women's equality, saying the government had strong credentials, while declining to comment on a podcast she had not heard in full.