Australian PM Anthony Albanese has apologised for comments about Kylie Minogue (Image: Getty Images)

Australia’s prime minister Anthony Albanese has issued an “unequivocal” apology after taking part in a “s***, marry, date” segment on comedian Nikki Osborne’s Bush Deep podcast and nominating Kylie Minogue for all three options.

In a one-line statement released on Monday morning, Albanese said: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments.”

The remarks came during a rapid-fire round in which he 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 t*** up?”

Albanese then replied about Minogue: “All of the above,” adding: “She’s terrific.” In the same interview, he 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, and criticism built over the weekend.

Independent MP Zali Steggall described the comments as “entirely inappropriate” and said (as per Daily Mail): “He needs to learn to push back, lead by example and call it out as sexist.” Shadow communications minister Sarah Henderson said the remarks were “disrespectful to women, embarrassing to Australians and demean the office of Prime Minister”.

Political reaction and context

Labor minister Tanya Plibersek spoke in defence of Albanese, citing his record on gender equality, saying 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.”

Albanese has led the Australian Labor Party and served as prime minister since 2022, and married Jodie Haydon in late 2025. He has also faced scrutiny over census policy, including when he said sexuality and gender questions “weren’t appropriate” for Australia’s next count.

Minogue rose to fame on Neighbours before becoming a global pop star, and is often described as a gay icon with a long-standing LGBTQ+ fanbase. She recently spoke publicly about health challenges in a Netflix documentary.

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