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.
uncertain
carrying → catch → 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.
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they → catch → Antalya
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.
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Albanese → place → which
I stopped putting it in my pants pocket,' Bowen said.
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Bowen → stop → pocket
Albanese then interjected, saying: 'Because of your d***?'
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Albanese → interject → ?
'Because of my d***,' Bowen said.
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Bowen → say → *
The pair could be seen laughing, apparently unaware their remarks had been recorded by live microphones and cameras operated by the media pool.
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remarks → see → 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'
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They → catch → meetings
The Daily Mail has contacted the office of the Prime Minister for comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
A spokesperson for Albanese told News Corp: 'They were having a joke in between meetings.'
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They → tell → 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.
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he → ask → 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.'
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I → ask → 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.
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COP31 → bring → 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.
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Bowen → take → change
Approximately 192 Australian officials attend the conference, with the Coalition putting the cost of accommodation and hospitality at an estimated $2.2million.
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Coalition → attend → 2.2million
The awkward gaffe comes just months after the so-called 'melon-gate' controversy.
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gaffe → come → 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.
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Albanese → come → 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.'
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they → joke → two
The remark later ignited a political firestorm, with critics accusing the Prime Minister of making an inappropriate comment about the Japanese leader.
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critics → ignite → leader
Albanese rejected calls to apologise, arguing he had not insulted Takaichi and noting it was the podcast host who introduced the joke.
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who → reject → joke
His office also insisted his hand gestures had been misinterpreted.
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gestures → insist → ?
Tokyo largely sought to defuse the controversy.
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Tokyo → seek → 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'.
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that → say → way
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.
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controversy → linger → meeting
The Aporia
