Anthony Albanese apologises for hot mic ‘d..k’ joke exchange with Chris Bowen at COP31 in Turkey

Anthony Albanese has apologised after a comment he made to Chris Bowen about radiation and his penis was caught in an embarrassing hot mic moment at the COP31 summit. 

Headshot of Chloe Maher
Chloe Maher
The Nightly
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was caught on a hot microphone making crude remarks about phone placement with Climate Minister Chris Bowen during a climate summit in Turkey.

Anthony Albanese has apologised after a comment he made to Chris Bowen about radiation and his penis was caught in an embarrassing hot mic moment at the COP31 summit.

The Prime Minister and the Climate Change and Energy Minister were on Friday waiting for a business roundtable on investment, when Mr Albanese began asking Mr Bowen where he kept his mobile phone, gesturing towards his jacket pocket.

When Minister Bowen indicated he usually did, Mr Albanese warned him against it, claiming the device could interfere with his heart.

Sign up to The Nightly's newsletters.

Get the first look at the digital newspaper, curated daily stories and breaking headlines delivered to your inbox.

Email Us
By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.

Mr Bowen then said he stopped carrying his phone in his pant pockets, to which the Prime Minister asked, “Because of your d..k?”, prompting laughter from the pair as the exchange was picked up by a live microphone.

Addressing the controversy for the first time, the Prime Minister on Sunday conceded he should not have made the comment but insisted it was just “light-hearted banter.”

“I of course regret that and apologise,” Mr Albanese said.

“This was a private conversation, we thought, between two friends having a bit of light-hearted banter.

“That happens and no one was hurt or harmed, we weren’t having private banter which criticised anyone, so.”

Comments

Latest Edition

The Nightly cover for 13-11-2026

Latest Edition

Edition Edition 13 November 202613 November 2026

Cummins slams ‘friend’ Khawaja as he dismisses bombshell Sandpapergate claims as ‘100 per cent wrong’.