‘Obsessed’: Wong gets candid on sexuality

In her debut podcast interview, the senator talked candidly about her sexuality and how it has affected her career.

Foreign Minister Penny Wong has revealed she was “stressed” by the media focus on her being a lesbian early in her career wondering why they “didn’t ask John Howard about being straight.”

The Labor Senator has claimed that some journalists were “obsessed” with her being a gay when she first entered politics over twenty years ago, but she later worked out it was important to a lot of people as a trailblazer.

Speaking to the Betoota talks podcast, Senator Wong also confirmed she was probably Australia’s first openly gay lesbian MP.

“I did sort of encounter some people who were... fixated. I remember one bloke asked me something, I said, ‘Do you ask John Howard what it’s like to be married and straight?’”.

Penny Wong made her debut podcast appearance. Picture: Instagram/Betootaadvocate

She was asked if she still believes in The Voice. Picture: Instagram/Betootaadvocate

“I got a bit kind of sick of, stressed, by the questions early ...which were focused on being female or Asian or gay, or being a lesbian, and because you sort of want to talk about, I wanted to talk about, you know, foreign policy or national security policy or economic policy or Environment Policy, and people just kept wanting to talk about me.

“But worked out later that it meant something to other people. So it was actually less about me.”

She joked she was popular with voters because she played “a straight bat”.

The mother of two also revealed that when she got the Foreign Affairs job she said “I’m prepared to work really hard, but I’m not prepared to have a divorce and never see my kids.”

The Beetota Advocate is a satirical publication that has previously run a series of ‘joke’ news stories about Senator Wong organising the Prime Minister’s bucks party that were an elaborate joke.

“Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong has had a big morning, it can be confirmed,’’ the article said.

“Wasting absolutely no time getting about her work, Penny has been frantically researching solutions to one of the biggest issues on her plate – Anthony Albanese’s Bucks Party.

“It’s believed Penny has also been sure to invite one of Albo’s dodgy mates from school, who can help look after the group in Bali.”

Penny Wong hints the Voice isn’t over

Ms Wong has predicted the Voice will one day be “just like marriage equality” and people will wonder what the controversy was all about.

In her first ever podcast appearance, Senator Wong has hinted that it’s not all over for the “Voice to Parliament” despite the Prime Minister insisting it was “gone”.

Senator Wong has told the Betoota Talks podcast that Mr Albanese had proceeded with the best of intentions.

“He’s not a pull the pin kind of guy,’’ Senator Wong said.

“Yeah, [Anthony Albanese] thought it was the right thing to do and, you know, a lot of First Nations leaders wanted the opportunity.

“I think we’ll look back on it in ten years’ time and it’ll be a bit like marriage equality don’t you reckon?

“Like, I always used to say, marriage equality, which took us such a bloody fight to get that done, and I thought, all this fuss, it’ll become something like, people go ‘did we even have an argument about that?’

“Like, kids today, or even adults today, barely kind of clock that it used to be an issue.

“Remember how big an issue that was in the culture wars? Blimey, just endless.”

The proposed constitutional change in Australia would have created a permanent body of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander representatives to advise the Parliament on laws and policies affecting First Nations people.

Voters rejected the policy that would have ensured the body would have been enshrined in the Constitution, ensuring a formal mechanism for Indigenous voices to be heard in decision-making processes.

Liberal leader Peter Dutton has criticised Mr Albanese for proceeding with the Voice referendum.

“I think the nation was aghast when the Prime Minister spent four, $50m and sought to divide us over the voice debate on heritage and on cultural grounds,” Mr Dutton said.

Penny Wong voting yes for the marriage equality bill in the Senate in 2017. Picture: Michael Masters/Getty Images

PM grilled on abandonment of the Voice

Anthony Albanese was grilled on Sunday night about his decision to abandon the Voice following the failure of his term’s referendum.

“The Voice, you told us, was important for Australia. It was important for who we are, for our standing in the world. It was a polite request from Indigenous people and you dropped it cold afterwards. Why?” Mark Riley asked.

“Because I respect the outcome. We live in a democracy,” Mr Albanese said.

“Do you still believe in it?” asked Mr Riley.

“It is gone,” said the Prime Minister.

“What is your personal view? Sorry-” Mr Riley pressed.

“We need to find different paths to affect reconciliation,” said Mr Albanese.

Betoota Advocate podcast and the ALP

Senator Wong joined the hosts of the Betoota Advocate podcast, the satirical news publication that has been quietly contracted to run an election podcast strategy for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and the Labor Party.

A Labor campaign has previously confirmed that Diamantina Media, the runs the podcast, was contracted to provide advice on “new media” strategy through the Federal Secretariat.

Betoota Advocate founders Archer Hamilton and Charles Single who go by the pen-names Clancy Overell and Errol Parker pictured here on the ABC's 4Corners. Picture: ABC/Four Corners

Originally published as ‘Obsessed’: Wong gets candid on sexuality