Claims extracted
22
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
5%
1 of 22 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
not political
takes no side on a contested political question
Publisher signals
61/100
The Sydney Morning Herald's corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
7
Other
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Climate Change Minister Chris Bowen have been recorded making small talk about phone radiation and “dicks” in a candid moment caught on camera at this year’s global climate conference.
asserted
Albanese → record → conference
The exchange was picked up with a hot mic on Friday as the pair chatted while waiting to start a roundtable discussion about business investment at this year’s COP31 climate conference in the Turkish town of Antalya.
asserted
pair → pick → Antalya
The prime minister’s office brushed off the incident after Channel Seven was first to broadcast the clip on Friday evening (AEDT), having picked up on the conversation during the production process.
asserted
Seven → brush → process
According to the footage, which started recording before Albanese and Bowen made their official remarks, the prime minister put his phone in his jacket pocket and asked Bowen whether he was right-handed.
uncertain
he → accord → Bowen
He then told Bowen that he should store his phone away from his heart because “it can interfere with your rhythm”.
asserted
it → tell → rhythm
Bowen jokingly asked whether it was because it was “a little bit radioactive?” to which Albanese said yes, “it makes absolute sense”.
asserted
it → ask → sense
The climate change minister said he was more conscious of putting his phone in his pants pocket.
asserted
he → say → pocket
The prime minister asked: “Because of your dick?”
asserted
minister → ask → dick
Bowen agreed.
asserted
Bowen → agree → ?
“Arguably more important than the heart,” he said.
asserted
he → say → heart
A spokesman for the prime minister said: “They were having a joke in between meetings.”
asserted
They → say → meetings
Friday’s event was held to discuss business opportunities with Australian agencies and both current and potential investors in the country’s renewable energy transition.
asserted
event → hold → transition
“Trade and investment components of these annual climate meetings are absolutely critical,” Albanese said in his opening remarks.
asserted
Albanese → say → remarks
“It’s how we turn the commitments that we want to make into actions and outcomes, and capitalise on the opportunity which is before us.”
asserted
which → ’ → us
Australia’s involvement in this year’s COP has attracted heightened scrutiny because the federal government is co-hosting the event with Turkey.
asserted
government → attract → Turkey
Bowen has taken on a new role as president of negotiations – a position he secured after Australia lost its bid to host the event in Adelaide.
asserted
Australia → take → Adelaide
Albanese arrived in Antalya on Wednesday for the conference leaders summit.
asserted
Albanese → arrive → summit
He left Turkey shortly after Friday’s business roundtable, and will head straight to the Philippines for the ASEAN summit.
asserted
He → leave → summit
Bowen will stay in Antalya and lead negotiations between 190 countries until the end of next week.
asserted
Bowen → stay → week
Hot mic moments involving the Australian prime minister have drawn attention since former prime minister Tony Abbott and then home affairs minister Peter Dutton were caught in 2015 joking about “water lapping” at Pacific islands threatened by rising sea levels.
asserted
Abbott → involve → levels
While the pair didn’t know they were being recorded, the comments were damaging to Australia’s reputation in the Pacific.
asserted
comments → know → Pacific
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asserted
Subscribers → sign → newsletter