Amanda Rishworth downplays Albanese’s crude hot mic moment at COP31, insists its not embarrassing for nation

Detailed summary

A senior minister has been grilled on Anthony Albanese latest crude gaffe, refusing to comment on the culture of the Prime Minister’s cabinet as he weathers fresh criticism.

A senior minister has brushed off a crude joke shared between Anthony Albanese and Energy Minister Chris Bowen, urging people not to get “overexcited”.

The Prime Minister was caught on a hot mic this week joking with Mr Bowen that he should not keep a phone in his pants pocket because the radiation could harm his “d**k”.

The jestful exchange happened at COP31 in Turkey, which Australia is co-running as president for negotiations.

Cabinet minister Amanda Rishworth on Sunday rejected that it was embarrassing for Australia.

“I mean, this is a private conversation in between meetings,” she told News24.

“I know that a hot mic incident is very exciting for people. It’s interesting.

“But really, there are bigger issues to tackle and to discuss. And so, I think, quite frankly, it’s a joke between two people, and we shouldn’t get overexcited by it.”

Asked if those sort of jokes were common in cabinet, she refused to say.

“I’m not going to go into the jokes I hear in my private life,” Ms Rishworth said, adding that she hears “a lot of interesting jokes out in the community”.

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