Australia news live: PM says he shouldn’t have gone on Bush Deep podcast; home sales to overseas buyers plunge
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has expressed regret for his appearance on a comedy podcast where he participated in a joke involving sexual innuendo. The incident drew criticism for his comments regarding a gift from the Japanese prime minister.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the challenges political leaders face when navigating informal media environments and the potential for reputational damage through off-the-cuff remarks.
Anthony Albanese has said he should not have appeared on a podcast where he engaged in a joke about the Japanese prime minister’s gift to him of melons.
During an appearance on the comedy podcast Bush Deep last month, the prime minister explained that Japan’s leader, Sanae Takaichi , offered him royal Japanese melons and appeared to make hand gestures in front of his chest, saying “she brought two, as you do”. Host Nikki Osborne joked: “She came in looking like Pamela Anderson.”
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