Australia’s PM Apologizes for ‘Inappropriate’ Comment About Kylie Minogue Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued an unequivocal apology on Monday for a controversial remark he made during a July 3 podcast interview, in which he used the slang term “shag” to describe his hypothetical romantic relationship with pop star Kylie Minogue. The comment sparked widespread backlash, prompting Albanese’s office to issue a statement clarifying his regret over the remarks. The incident occurred during an appearance on a local comedian’s podcast, where Albanese was asked to rank three Australian entertainers—Minogue, actress Nicole Kidman, and singer-actress Rhonda Burchmore—in terms of his romantic preferences. Albanese, who married his partner, Jodie Haydon, in November 2025 and became the first sitting Australian leader to wed while in office, initially avoided the question by referencing his recent wedding. However, when pressed further, he responded, “Oh, Kylie, clearly.” When podcast host Nikki Osborne clarified, “You’d marry Kylie, shag her, and date her?” Albanese replied, “All of the above.” The exchange drew sharp criticism from Australian parliamentarians, with some accusing the Prime Minister of perpetuating sexist stereotypes. Zali Steggall, a member of the newly-formed Community Strong Australia party, condemned the remarks as “entirely inappropriate” for a national leader, urging Albanese to “learn to push back, lead by example and call it out as sexist.” Opposition Senator Maria Kovacic echoed the sentiment, calling the comments a “pretty poor error in judgment” and emphasizing that “there are so many more important things that we should be talking about.” Meanwhile, Kylie Minogue herself has not publicly addressed the controversy, as of Monday.#anthony_albanese #australian_prime_minister #kylie_minogue #niki_osborne #zali_steggall
