Albanese and Bowen caught in hot mic gaffe

Résumé détaillé

The PM and his energy minister were clearly unaware the microphone was on when they joked about where they keep their mobile phones.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen have been recorded making small talk about phone radiation and “dicks” in a candid moment caught on camera at this year’s global climate conference.

The exchange was picked up with a hot mic on Friday as the pair chatted while waiting to start a roundtable discussion about business investment at this year’s COP31 climate conference in the Turkish town of Antalya.

The prime minister’s office brushed off the incident after Channel Seven was first to broadcast the clip on Friday evening (AEDT), having picked up on the conversation during the production process.

According to the footage, which started recording before Albanese and Bowen made their official remarks, the prime minister put his phone in his jacket pocket and asked Bowen whether he was right-handed. He then told Bowen that he should store his phone away from his heart because “it can interfere with your rhythm”.

Bowen jokingly asked whether it was because it was “a little bit radioactive?” to which Albanese said yes, “it makes absolute sense”.

The climate change minister said he was more conscious of putting his phone in his pants pocket. The prime minister asked: “Because of your dick?”

A spokesman for the prime minister said: “They were having a joke in between meetings.”

Friday’s event was held to discuss business opportunities with Australian agencies and both current and potential investors in the country’s renewable energy transition.

“Trade and investment components of these annual climate meetings are absolutely critical,” Albanese said in his opening remarks. “It’s how we turn the commitments that we want to make into actions and outcomes, and capitalise on the opportunity which is before us.”

Début de l'article, extrait de The Age. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.