There can be a bit of misty-eyed romanticism about how Australians like to see themselves.
An egalitarian streak. The loveable larrikin. A fondness for a bit of knock-about humour at the right time.
We get that. But even the “typical Aussie” might draw the line at the idea that a 63-year-old man would take part in a bogan podcast with a woman in which, among other moments of pub talk, he takes part in a quiz about which celebrity he would have sex with.
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And even more tacky came his unbridled enthusiasm to talk about his sex life with his wife, which he disclosed often came about after a win by his favourite footy team.
And this is not just any man. It is the Prime Minister of Australia we are talking about.
Anthony Albanese’s latest attempt to “engage” came on the Bush Deep podcast by comedian Nikki Osborne, aka Bushie.
Filmed at the Lodge, Mr Albanese was asked for his response to “shag, marry, date” questions about Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore.
Mr Albanese started with “I just got married, I’m only six months in”.
Osborne persisted: “But if it goes tits up, let’s just pretend.”
Albanese then responded: “Kylie, clearly.”
Osborne: “You’d marry Kylie, and shag her, and date her?”
Albanese: “All of the above, she’s terrific.”
In another section of the podcast Osborne asked whether Mr Albanese and his wife, Jodie Haydon, were “bonking like rabbits”.
Mr Albanese replied: “Well, when we have time. After the footy. It’s always a good aphrodisiac, a Souths (NRL team Sydney Rabbitohs) win.”
To use some of a modern influencer’s vernacular, ick. Or perhaps eww.
Imagine the scorn that would have been poured by Labor and it’s fellow-travellers on Liberal leader Angus Taylor if he had made the comments.
We would have been treated to another round of “the Liberals have a woman problem” and calls for Mr Taylor to be “cancelled”.
But what did we get from Labor? Either silence or defence of Mr Albanese from senior Labor ministers. The hypocrisy of it all.
On Monday Mr Albanese issued a statement: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments.”
Rather underwhelming. And one wonders who he was apologising to. The public? Kylie Minogue? What about Ms Haydon?
The whole sorry episode points to a complete misjudgement by Mr Albanese and his team of advisors.
They would have known full well what was awaiting him on such a podcast.
So his first mistake was to take part.
His second mistake was to engage with that line of questioning, and indeed to then voluntarily and enthusiastically add to it.
The saga raises some wider questions.
What does agreeing to take part in such a forum say about modern politics? Is this what the community now wants from our leaders?
Or would they prefer the prime minister to engage in debate about the many serious issues the nation faces?
And where does this all end? What’s next? Does Mr Albanese go on and play truth or dare?
