Albanese issues public apology after comments about Kylie Minogue: She is fantastic

Anthony Albanese, Australia’s prime minister, has issued a public apology after comments he made about singer Kylie Minogue during a podcast interview were criticized as inappropriate and as a sign of disrespect toward women.

On Monday, he released a short statement stressing that he apologized “unreservedly” for what he had said during the interview on the Bush Deep podcast, hosted by comedian Nikki Osborne.

The conversation took place at the prime minister’s official residence in Canberra and was published at the end of last week. Bush Deep, hosted by Nikki Osborne, is known for provocative questions and a humorous approach, which the presenter herself describes as “highly inappropriate.”

During the interview, Osborne asked Albanese to choose between singer Kylie Minogue, actress Nicole Kidman and performer Rhonda Burchmore as part of a game involving provocative questions.

At first, the prime minister tried to avoid answering, recalling that only a few months earlier he had married his wife, Jodie Haydon. But after the host insisted, he replied: “Kylie, clearly,” and then added that he would choose “all of the above,” while describing the artist as “fantastic.”

Immediately afterward, his comments triggered reactions in Australian politics. Independent MP Zali Steggall described them as “completely inappropriate,” stressing that a prime minister should set an example and should not accept questions with sexist content.

Criticism also came from shadow communications minister Sarah Henderson, who called the remarks “disrespectful to women, embarrassing for Australians and demeaning to the office of the prime minister.”

On the other hand, Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles defended the government’s commitment to gender equality, noting that the current cabinet is the first in Australia’s history to have equal representation of women and men.