Albanese apologizes for podcast remark; Australian auction rates dip below 50%

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued an "unequivocal" apology after making a remark on a comedy podcast that has drawn criticism. While speaking on Nova FM, Albanese was asked by host Nikki Osborne to choose between Australian icons Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman, or Rhonda Burchmore in a "shag, marry or date" scenario.

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I apologise unequivocally for the comments.

Albanese, who recently married, initially demurred, stating, "I've just got married, I'm only six months in." However, when pressed, he selected Minogue, saying, "Oh, Kylie, clearly." When Osborne further questioned if he would "marry Kylie, and shag her and date?" Albanese responded, "All of the above."

In a statement released this morning, the Prime Minister stated, "I apologise unequivocally for the comments." The remarks were made during a segment that has since been widely reported.

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I've just got married, I'm only six months in.

In other news, preliminary data from Cotality indicates that auction clearance rates for homes across combined Australian capital cities fell below 50% last week, with only 49.8% of properties sold at auction. Sydney saw a clearance rate of 51.6%, and Melbourne recorded 54.6%. However, other cities experienced significantly lower rates, with Brisbane at 23.8% and Perth at 33.3%. Canberra achieved a 50% clearance rate, while Adelaide was at 45.7%. A substantial number of homes were withdrawn from auction nationwide, particularly in Sydney and Melbourne.

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Oh, Kylie, clearly.

Prime Minister Albanese is also scheduled to host the leaders of Papua New Guinea and Tonga at the State of Origin rugby league decider in Brisbane on Wednesday night. This diplomatic engagement follows his travel to Fiji and the Solomon Islands earlier in the week. The Australian government has increasingly used rugby league as a diplomatic tool in the Pacific region.

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All of the above.