‘Not funny’: Anthony Albanese blows up over Marty Sheargold’s Matildas comment

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has weighed in on the controversial comments from a radio host regarding the Matildas

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticised the comments of former Triple M radio host Marty Sheargold, stating women’s sports stars should get as much if not more respect and appreciation than their male counterparts.

Sheargold and Triple M parted ways on Wednesday on the back of his live on-air remarks on Monday when he said the Matildas reminded him of “year 10 girls”.

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He also added that he would “rather hammer a nail” through his penis than tune into the Asian Cup, before asking if there was any “men’s sport” the presenters could discuss instead.

The incident was brought to the public’s attention by Hockeyroos player Rosie Malone, who posted an audio clip to her TikTok account on Tuesday.

In the same episode of the Marty Sheargold Show he also proclaimed “Endometriosis … it’s made up”.

And when asked about his thoughts on Sheargold’s comments on Thursday, the Prime Minister did not hold back.

“They were just shocking comments that anyone could think it, let alone say it. Completely unacceptable,” Albanese told Nova 100’s Jase and Lauren on Thursday.

“The Tillies are just legends. They excited and brought together the whole country.

Pictured left Anthony Albanese and right Sam Kerr. Image: Getty

“The whole country was united in cheering for them. Women’s and girl’s sport has been a revolution in my lifetime, in football, as in soccer football, AFLW has a Governor-General, Sam Austin was the first woman appointed as an AFL Commissioner, and she really drove the creation of AFLW, that’s fantastic.

“ … These are great athletes, like (the Matildas) performed so well to get to the semis in the World Cup, but even if they didn’t, so what! They’re doing their best, and they’re great athletes, and they’re better footballers than all the blokes who’d be critiquing them, frankly,” he said.

“Remember the Olympics. Remember, as the gold medals came through, they had something in common. They were all women! … And certainly, the Matildas are … more successful historically than our men’s team has been.

Marty Sheargold and Triple M parted ways on Wednesday following a controversial show on Monday. Picture: Supplied/Triple M

“Ellyse Perry, statistically, is probably the greatest cricketer – maybe Bradman but he didn’t bowl – the greatest cricketer that Australia has produced.”

Albanese also took exception to Sheargold claiming endometriosis isn’t real.

“You know, we need to respect each other, and disrespecting more than half the population is not on,” Albanese continued.

“It’s just not funny. It’s offensive.”

Albanese is just the latest in several high-profile Australians to condemn Sheargold’s actions, with Olympic great Cate Campbell speaking out about just how damaging the rhetoric he used is on Thursday morning.

Cate Campbell (pictured) took aim at Marty Sheargold’s comments. Photo Steve Pohlner

“Women have been fighting for generations to be seen as equals in sport,” Campbell told the Today show on Thursday morning.

“Can I just say that Australia had our most successful Olympic Games in Paris 2024 … We won 18 gold medals, 13 of them were won by women. Let me just say that again.

“It is a huge proportion of Australia’s global sporting success that comes off the back of women. These women are underpaid. They’re under-represented, they’re undervalued, they’re misrepresented in the media all the time, and yet they are the ones who are often doing the heavy lifting on the world stage.

“We deserve better. We need more recognition. I feel really, really strongly that these comments are unacceptable.”