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A video of the hot mic gaffe shows Australian PM Anthony Albanese and his climate minister, Chris Bowen, chat on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Turkey's Antalya.
Australian PM Anthony Albanese delivers a speech during the High-Level Segment for Heads of States and Government at the COP31 climate summit. (File photo: AFP)
New Delhi,Nov 14, 2026 10:28 IST
A conversation between Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his climate minister caused quite a stir after the duo joked about the latter's genitals, apparently forgetting that the microphone in front of them was still on. The hot mic gaffe was caught in footage first broadcast by Australia's Channel Seven on Friday.
The video shows Albanese and Australia's Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Chris Bowen, chat on the sidelines of the COP31 climate summit in Turkey's Antalya.
The PM can be heard advising the climate minister against keeping his mobile phone close to his heart, warning that it could "interfere with your rhythm." Bowen, however, says he is more concerned about keeping the device in his trouser's pocket.
"Because of your d**k?" Albanese quips, prompting his climate minister to respond with a chuckle. "Arguably more important than the heart," Bowen said, throwing in a playful remark.
A spokesperson for Albanese later played down the exchange, telling news agency AFP that the two were "having a joke in between meetings."
The light-hearted exchange comes at a time when Australia is facing scrutiny over its climate credentials.
While the country is presiding over negotiations at COP31, it has also been accused of hypocrisy because of its status as a major exporter of fossil fuels.
Also, this is not the first time the Australian leader's off-the-cuff humour has landed him in hot water.
Earlier this year, he raised eyebrows with a podcast remark that he would "sh*g" singer Kylie Minogue. He also drew attention for an innuendo-filled reference to a gift of melons from the Japanese prime minister.
However, Albanese is not the first Australian PM to have an awkward hot-mic moment.
His conservative predecessor, Tony Abbott, faced criticism in 2015 after laughing at a joke by then immigration minister Peter Dutton about time-keeping on Pacific islands and the threat of sea flooding due to climate change.
"Time does not mean anything when you are about to have water lapping at your door," Dutton had quipped, before realising that his microphone was still on.
The remark offended Pacific island leaders, who have long warned about the devastating consequences of climate change for their countries.
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(Based on inputs from AFP)
