Monday | 6th July 2026
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has issued a public apology after making lighthearted but controversial remarks about Australian entertainer Kylie Minogue during a podcast interview, comments that quickly sparked political criticism and renewed debate about the standards expected of national leaders.
Albanese appeared on comedian Nikki Osborne’s “Bush Deep” podcast on Thursday as part of a wide-ranging conversation that covered politics, popular culture, sport and his personal life. During the interview, Osborne presented the prime minister with a tongue-in-cheek hypothetical question, asking him to choose between singer Kylie Minogue, Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman and performer Rhonda Burchmore in a game of “shag, marry, date.”
Initially reluctant to participate, Albanese reminded the host that he had only recently married his wife, Jodie Haydon.
“I’ve just got married, I’m only six months in,” the prime minister said, attempting to sidestep the question.
However, Osborne continued to press him for an answer. Eventually, Albanese responded by choosing Minogue.
“Oh, Kylie, clearly,” he said.
The host then jokingly asked whether he would marry, date and sleep with Minogue.
“You’d marry Kylie and shag her and date her?” Osborne asked.
“All of the above. She’s terrific,” Albanese replied with a laugh, prompting further discussion before the interview moved on to other topics.
The conversation also turned to Albanese’s marriage, with Osborne asking whether he and Haydon were still “bonking like rabbits” following their wedding.
Rather than declining to answer, Albanese responded humorously.
“Well, you know, when we have time,” he said.
He then added another joke linking his personal life to his passion for rugby league.
“After the footy. After the footy. It’s always a good aphrodisiac, a Souths win,” Albanese said, referring to his beloved National Rugby League club, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, which he has supported throughout his life.
Although the exchange was intended as light entertainment, excerpts from the interview quickly spread across social media and Australian news outlets, prompting criticism from political opponents who argued that the comments were unbecoming of a serving prime minister.
Among the most vocal critics was Senator Sarah Henderson, the opposition Liberal Party’s shadow minister for communications and digital safety.
Posting on X, Henderson condemned the remarks, describing them as inappropriate and inconsistent with the dignity of the country’s highest political office.
“Anthony Albanese’s whisky-fuelled comments on the ‘Deep Bush’ (sic) podcast are disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians and demean the office of Prime Minister,” she wrote.
The criticism added to broader discussions over whether politicians should participate in increasingly informal podcast interviews, where conversational formats can encourage personal or off-the-cuff remarks that differ significantly from traditional media appearances.
Facing mounting backlash over the interview, Albanese moved to address the controversy several days later.
On Monday, the prime minister issued an official statement through his office, offering an unreserved apology for his comments.
“I apologise unequivocally for the comments,” Albanese said in the statement provided to CNN on Monday.
The apology marked a clear shift from the joking tone of the podcast, with Albanese acknowledging that his remarks had caused offence and seeking to put the issue behind him. While the controversy centered on comments made during what was intended to be a humorous interview, it underscored the heightened scrutiny facing political leaders, whose casual remarks can quickly become matters of national debate in the age of social media and viral online content.