Anthony Albanese responds to critics after press conference with NBA legend Shaquille O‘Neal

Anthony Albanese has hit back after his polarising press conference with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal over the weekend sparked backlash.

Anthony Albanese has urged critics to “chill out” over his polarising press conference with Shaquille O‘Neal amid fresh criticism the NBA legend’s rap songs repeatedly refer to women as “bitches.”

Confirming that the TV personality asked to attend the press conference, the Prime Minister said he made “no apology” for raising awareness about the Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

“So he approached me and I think people should chill out a bit basically,’’ Mr Albanese told 2SM.

“The fact is, (the) appearance means that people are talking about it. Shaq appeals to a whole bunch of people, many of whom would have been hearing about the voice to Parliament for the very first time.

“So I make no apologies for saying I’ll engage with anyone, anywhere, anytime.”

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The Prime Minister stood by his decision to allow NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal to appear during a press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer.

During a bizarre press conference, the basketball star briefly spoke at the start of the press conference but did not explicitly address the issue before leaving the event.

“I’m here in your country, whatever you need from me, just let me know,” he said.

“We all know Shaq loves Australia.”

His appearance has been slammed by Labor strategist Cameron Milner who asked “Did anyone check out Shaq’s other post-game career – his rapping?.”

Writing in The Australian newspaper, he said his lyrics “are full of toxic masculinity in its most profane form.”

“Shaq’s most played song has the line: “Taxiderm your bitch head, mount it on a wall.”

“He sings in another lyric about punching a girl in the stomach because “yo, she breathed on my neck”. The worst is in his other “hit” song, ‘You Can’t Stop the Reign’ – “we want the exotic, erotic ladies, not them toxic ladies that burn a lot”.

“It’s disgusting, but clearly Albo’s brains trust thinks this will help the voice.”

Critics said the decision to allow O’Neal to cameo during the press conference was ill-advised. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Monique Harmer

Shaq’s lyrics also include the following “Kobe, n---a, tell me how my ass taste”, which can only be topped by the lyric “To tell n---as to suck c--k, run and get a gun”.

“What on earth was Albo thinking? Surely he didn’t do this knowing these were Shaq’s attitudes to women, guns, domestic violence and drug use,’’ Milner said.

Greens senator Lidia Thorpe has joined the chorus of senior parliamentary figures criticising the press conference.

“He’s putting his nose into business that has nothing to do with him,” she told 3AW on Monday.

“He does not understand what is going on in this country. He should not be commenting.

“It’s an insult to blackfellas in this country, let alone the rest of the country.”

Newly-installed Greens senator, Lidia Thorpe also criticised the decision. Picture: Sam Mooy/Getty Images.

Former Nationals leader Barnaby Joyce has also criticised the “stunt.”

“Are you selling McDonald’s or changing the Constitution,” the former deputy prime minister told Sunrise on Monday.

“Why have you got an American basketball star standing at the podium about 10 feet taller than Anthony Albanese – what’s this about?

“Why are we having a multi-millionaire American basketball star over here to talk about how we run our Constitution … how could (Labor) possibly think that would do anything but inspire cynicism?

“I saw it as their Prince Philip moment.”

Country Liberals senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price called the Prime Minister’s “PR stunt” “clueless and out of touch”.