Anthony Albanese apologised on Monday for comments he made about Kylie Minogue during a game of "shag, marry, date" on a Nova comedy podcast, after the exchange spread across social media over the weekend and drew criticism from the Coalition and the crossbench.
"I apologise unequivocally for the comments," the Prime Minister said in a written statement issued on Monday morning. He did not elaborate, and no press conference followed.
The episode of Bush Deep, hosted by comedian Nikki Osborne and recorded over a bottle of whiskey, was released on Friday. Asked to choose between Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore, Albanese at first pointed to his marriage: "I've just got married, I'm only six months in." When Osborne pressed him on what would happen if the marriage failed, he answered, "Kylie, clearly." Asked whether that meant all three options, he said: "All of the above. She's terrific."
The Coalition's communications spokesperson, Senator Sarah Henderson, said the comments "demean the office of prime minister". Independent MP Zali Steggall said it was "entirely inappropriate for the prime minister to participate in such a game", and her crossbench colleague Dai Le called the remarks "unbecoming of a gentleman". Liberal frontbencher Andrew Bragg told AAP: "These comments were beneath his office... it's good that he's apologised, but he shouldn't have said it."
Senior ministers defended him. "It's a government that is led by a person that I know very, very closely, who is utterly committed to elevating the place of women within our society," Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles told ABC Radio on Monday. "In respect of those comments, he has apologised unequivocally." Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek told Sunrise that if the Prime Minister was expressing admiration for Minogue, "that puts him in a group with millions of other Australians, including me".
Albanese married Jodie Haydon at The Lodge in November 2025, the first Australian prime minister to marry while in office, which is what the "six months in" answer referred to. The episode was recorded before the backlash and went out on Friday; by Sunday the clip had spread well beyond the podcast's audience.
Minogue had not commented by Monday afternoon, and her representatives have not responded to the coverage. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher and One Nation leader Pauline Hanson both declined to weigh in when asked.
The Prime Minister's office has indicated nothing beyond the one-sentence statement is coming. Whether he returns to the comedy podcast circuit is now a live question for his media team; the apology, at least, is on the record.
