Not one senior Albanese Government minister has condemned the Prime Minister’s lewd and sexually charged comments on an X-rated podcast interview that has drawn enormous backlash and made global headlines.
The West Australian received complete silence from Anthony Albanese’s top colleagues when it asked if his controversial remarks made on the Nikki Osborne-hosted Bush Deep show were “appropriate” and if his apology was “sufficient”.
The nation’s leader used his appearance on the podcast — which had most recently had a pornstar as its guest — to talk about his sex life with new wife Jodie Haydon, said he’d “shag” Kylie Minogue if the marriage went “tits up” and made a sexual innuendo about two royal melons Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gifted him.
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After facing backlash over the comments after the episode was released late last week, Mr Albanese issued a one-sentence statement on Monday: “I apologise unequivocally for the comments.”
The Nova Entertainment podcast was filmed in Canberra at the PM’s official residence The Lodge with host comedian Nikki Osborne dressed as her “Bushie” alter ego.
A video of the sit down posted to YouTube by Osborne had attracted almost 62,000 views in a week which had been re-captioned “The unbelievable viral interview with Australia’s Prime Minister”.
It also drew headlines internationally, with coverage in UK and America newspapers.
Mr Albanese’s decision to go on Osborne’s podcast and choice of words has left commentators in Australia torn between whether it was just a bit of fun or a serious mistake for a world leader.
Among the headlines were “Why is Albanese going on bogan comedy podcasts?”, “It’s possible for the PM to be casual and jocular – and also respect women?”, “‘Shag, marry, kill?’ Sorry folks, I’m with Albo on this one” and “Are men judged differently? PM’s podcast gaffe shows double standards”.
But questions about the comments and whether they were becoming of the Prime Minister were largely ignored or brushed aside throughout the week.
Communications Minister Anika Wells responded to a question, at a press conference about the Telstra outage on Thursday, by saying the nation wanted her focused on solving the connectivity issue.
Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong also would not condemn the Prime Minister in a TV interview on Friday morning, saying people should be “gracious” that he said sorry.
“I think the Prime Minister has apologised unequivocally and that matter is now closed,” she said.
Defence Minister Richard Marles defended his leader when asked about it earlier in the week, pointing out Mr Albanese’s solid record in promoting women to senior roles.
Mr Marles stated the Prime Minister was “utterly committed” to the elevation of women in society.
While the PM was out of the country signing deals with Pacific leaders and hosting India’s Prime Minister in Melbourne, Coalition members were scathing of his commentary of women.
Liberal senators Sarah Henderson and Jacinta Nampijinpa Price are among those who slammed his woeful statement and called for him to apologise to Ms Takaichi.
The West Australian understands the Japanese leader’s office were aware of the remarks made.
However, questions on Thursday and Friday if such an apology was delivered to the world leader went unanswered.
As did questions to his wider team about where their Labor leader’s “new media” appearance diary needed a rethink.
In an old post uncovered by The West on Osborne’s Instagram account, the host bragged about Mr Albanese following her online.
The post dated April 24 was captioned “when you find out the Prime Minister follows you”.
Nikki Osborne’s podcasts – With pornstar Annie Knight Credit: Nikki Osborne/YouTube
“I’ve just lost it. I was just scrolling and it popped up with suggested people to follow,” she told her 500,000 followers.
“It said like the Premier and I was like ‘oh I’ll follow him’. And then it said the Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and it said ‘follow back’.
“What the f..k. I’m just imagining him having a scroll on the dunny at Parliament House (and hearing) ‘G’day bush barbie here’.”
It’s not the first time Osborne — a former I’m A Celeb contestant — has made controversial headlines after she was widely critisised in 2021 over a joke comparing a vaccine to rape at the height of the country’s Covid-19 response.
Osborne had posted a meme online of convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein alongside actress Lindsay Lohan with he caption: “The original No Jab, No Job” before deleting it after backlash.
At the time, reality star Abbie Chatfield — who also now hosts a podcast Mr Albanese has appeared on — slammed the post, labelling it a “pick me” moment in a video posted to her Instagram Stories.
“Imagine a female in the industry to think it’s funny to make fun of rape and sexual assault victims. Jokes about rape aren’t funny. Unless it’s about your own sexual assault as a coping mechanism,” Chatfield had said.
“So for you to sit there and make a joke likening the vaccine that is saving lives to rape … I don’t know if you’re anti-vax but it’s a ridiculous joke. Likening the vaccine to rape is one of the most disgusting things I have seen in my entire life.”
The West attempted to contact Osborne and Nova Entertainment this week for comment but they didn’t respond before the print deadline.
