Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen were caught on a live microphone joking about concerns that carrying a mobile phone in a trouser pocket could affect their penises.
The pair were caught making the remarks on camera as they waited for a business and investment discussion on Friday at the COP31 headquarters in Antalya, Turkey.
As Albanese placed his phone in his right breast pocket, he indicated his left side, just over his heart, and asked Bowen: ‘Do you keep your phone here?’
Bowen said, ‘Generally, yeah,’ to which Albanese responded: ‘Don’t.’
‘I’m more conscious of… I stopped putting it in my pants pocket,’ Bowen said.
Albanese then interjected, saying: ‘Because of your d***?’
‘Because of my d***,’ Bowen said. ‘That’s rather important… arguably more important than the heart.’
The pair could be seen laughing, apparently unaware their remarks had been recorded by live microphones and cameras operated by the media pool.
Anthony Albanese and Chris Bowen were caught on a live microphone joking about concerns that carrying a mobile phone in a trouser pocket could affect their penises
A spokesperson for Albanese said: ‘They were having a joke in between meetings’
The Daily Mail has contacted the office of the Prime Minister for comment. A spokesperson for Albanese told News Corp: ‘They were having a joke in between meetings.’
COP31 president-designate Murat Kurum was asked about the remarks by News Corp.
‘We are late for a meeting to discuss the finance summit and the important decisions that must come out of today and talk about getting results,’ he said via an English-speaking translator.
Asked again about Mr Bowen’s remarks, he said: ‘I have not witnessed what you are referring to, I have not heard anything unfortunately, I cannot make any comment at this moment.’
COP31 is the United Nations’ annual climate summit, bringing together world leaders and representatives from more than 190 countries to negotiate global action on climate change.
Australia has taken on a key role at the summit, with Bowen tasked with helping broker an agreement between countries on the next steps to tackle climate change.
Approximately 192 Australian officials attend the conference, with the Coalition putting the cost of accommodation and hospitality at an estimated $2.2million.
The awkward gaffe comes just months after the so-called ‘melon-gate’ controversy.
The awkward gaffe comes just months after the so-called ‘melon-gate’ controversy, when the PM sparked outrage after discussing a gift of luxury Shizuoka crown melons from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during an appearance on a podcast in July
Albanese initially sparked outrage after discussing a gift of luxury Shizuoka crown melons from Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during an appearance on comedian Nikki Osborne’s Bush Deep podcast in July.
When Osborne joked that the Japanese leader had ‘come in looking like Pamela Anderson’ because she brought ‘two melons’, Albanese gestured towards his chest and replied: ‘She brought two, and they are beautiful.’
The remark later ignited a political firestorm, with critics accusing the Prime Minister of making an inappropriate comment about the Japanese leader.
Albanese rejected calls to apologise, arguing he had not insulted Takaichi and noting it was the podcast host who introduced the joke.
His office also insisted his hand gestures had been misinterpreted. Tokyo largely sought to defuse the controversy.
Japan’s ambassador to Australia, Kazuhiro Suzuki, said Australian officials had assured his government that Albanese ‘did not make the comments in the way that has been reported’.
Any lingering awkwardness appeared absent when Albanese and Takaichi met on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September, in their first face-to-face meeting since the controversy erupted.
