Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have dismissed an embarrassing hot-mic exchange as harmless banter between friends.
Speaking to The Australian on Saturday, Bowen said the remarks were part of a private, light-hearted conversation that was accidentally picked up and broadcast.
‘Anthony and I are good friends,’ Bowen said.
Albanese also described the exchange as ‘light-hearted banter’ while speaking on the sidelines of defence discussions in Manila on Sunday.
‘I, of course, regret that and I apologise,’ he said.
‘This was a private conversation. We thought between two friends having a bit of light-hearted banter.
‘You know that happens and no one was hurt or harmed.’
Bowen had earlier acknowledged that ministers would not usually use such language in public, but said the word was commonly heard in everyday Australian conversation.
Bowen, right, described the exchange as a light-hearted private conversation
‘We used a word that ministers would not normally use in public,’ he said.
‘But it’s probably used pretty broadly in the Australian community.
‘And what’s not a joke is climate change, and that’s what I’m completely focused on this week.’
The awkward exchange took place on Friday after Albanese placed his phone in the breast pocket of his suit jacket, pointing towards the pocket over his heart.
He asked Bowen: ‘Do you keep your phone here?’
‘Generally, yeah,’ Bowen replied.
‘Don’t,’ Albanese responded.
Bowen then explained that he had changed where he carried his phone.
Chris Bowen said he was ‘completely’ focused on climate change at the conference
‘I’m more conscious of it. I stopped putting it in my pants pocket,’ he said.
Albanese then asked: ‘Because of your d***?’
‘Because of my d***. That’s rather important… arguably more important than the heart,’ Bowen replied, prompting laughter from both men.
The exchange was made while other delegates were nearby.
Environment Minister Murray Watt also played down the controversy, saying critics had overreacted to what was plainly a joke.
‘This is really just about people having a joke,’ Watt said.
‘I know there’s been a lot of criticism from some quarters about every aspect of this COP, but the reality is participating in and in fact leading the discussions at COP is in Australia’s national interest.’
NSW Premier Chris Minns likewise minimised the incident when asked about it by reporters.
Taxpayers were charged a $32,100 bill for Australia to serve coffee at the COP31 summit
‘I just don’t think it’s the end of the world,’ Minns said.
The hot-mic controversy is the latest distraction to emerge from COP31, the United Nations’ annual climate conference, which has brought representatives from more than 190 countries to Antalya to negotiate global action on climate change.
It follows a separate political dispute over the Australian government’s decision to offer free coffee at its national pavilion, after taxpayers were revealed to be covering a $32,100 bill for the service.
The coffee stand has become one of the summit’s busiest attractions, with delegates reportedly waiting up to 45 minutes for a cup. An estimated 1,800 coffees have been served since Monday, equal to about 80 drinks an hour.
The Coalition has seized on the expense as evidence of wasteful spending, accusing the Albanese government of using taxpayer money to subsidise coffee for summit delegates.
Bowen has strongly defended the spending, arguing that Australia’s pavilion is important to advancing the country’s interests while accusing Opposition Leader Angus Taylor of political hypocrisy.
‘Does he want one lump of hypocrisy or two with his coffee?’ Bowen told the ABC.
‘My job is to steer consensus to the most ambitious outcome that consensus will allow.’
