Australian PM Albanese apologizes for ‘disrespectful’ comments about Kylie Minogue

By Jack Guy, CNN

(CNN) — Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has apologized after naming singer Kylie Minogue in response to a question about who he would, theoretically, “shag, marry, date.”

Albanese appeared on the “Bush Deep” podcast on Thursday, hosted by comedian Nikki Osborne, who asked him whom he would choose out of Minogue, actress Nicole Kidman or performer Rhonda Burchmore.

“I’ve just got married, I’m only six months in,” said Albanese, but Osborne insisted he choose.

“Oh, Kylie, clearly,” he said.

“You’d marry Kylie and shag her and date her?” Osborne said.

“All of the above. She’s terrific,” he said.

Osborne also asked Albanese if the prime minister and his wife, Jodie Haydon, were still “bonking like rabbits.”

“Well, you know, when we have time,” he said. “After the footy. After the footy. It’s always a good aphrodisiac, a Souths win,” Albanese added, referring to the rugby league team South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Albanese’s comments drew criticism, including from Senator Sarah Henderson, shadow minister for communications and digital safety in the opposition Liberal party.

“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 in a post on X.

On Monday, Albanese issued an apology via his office.

“I apologise unequivocally for the comments,” he said in a statement to CNN on Monday.

CNN has contacted Minogue’s representatives for comment.

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