Labor figures say their workaholic Prime Minister is due for a well-earned break after a flu-ridden Anthony Albanese revealed on Thursday that he has “not taken a day off all year”.

In a wide-ranging interview on Thursday, the PM also broke his silence on his recent controversial podcast appearance, saying he had apologised for the crass comments made about women and learnt his lesson.

Speaking to the ABC, Mr Albanese was pressed on his decision not to attend next month’s remote indigenous Garma Festival in the Northern Territory after committing in 2025 to travel to the event every year he remains in office.

“I haven’t had day off all year. And this weekend, in a few days, I’ll be in another remote part of the Northern Territory. Garma isn’t the only festival that’s taking place,” he said when asked if his change of plans amounted to a “broken promise”.

“I will be on leave at that time, but I will be at another festival in the Northern Territory in the coming days. I’ve been to Garma every year that it’s been held since I’ve been Labor leader and indeed going back further.”

Foreign Minister Penny Wong and Indigenous Minister Malarndirri McCarthy along with several other Labor frontbenchers are instead expected to attend the festival.

The Nightly has confirmed the Prime Minister has not taken a formal day of leave during 2026 but in December last year he and his newly wed wife Jodie Haydon took a five-day honeymoon following their wedding at the lodge.

Earlier last year Mr Albanese and his then fiancé travelled to the picturesque Micronesian nation of Palau for a low-key but luxury getaway ahead of their wedding.

Despite frequently travelling overseas for official business, Mr Albanese has rarely taken personal vacations, with the Palau trip believed to be his first overseas holiday since he was elected Prime Minister in 2022.

During his radio interview on Thursday, the PM also revealed he was suffering from the flu, which he suggested was a result of his busy schedule.

“I’m actually speaking to you now with the flu I’ve had, you keep going. Your diary is full, and it’s been a fully engaged time,” Mr Albanese said.

Mr Albanese also ducked questions over whether his wife had counselled him against doing any further podcast interviews following his smutty comments about women on the Deep Bush program, declaring he’d “dealt with the issue”.

Following weeks of criticism for jokes he made about his sex life, innuendo about the Japanese PM, and his participation in a game of “shag, marry, date”, Mr Albanese was asked whether his wife had told him to stop “playing weird games with podcasters and interviewers”.

“There’s two things you need to do if you’ve made a mistake. One is to apologise. Second is to learn the lessons from it. And I’ve done both,” he responded.

One Labor MP told the Nightly they wouldn’t be surprised if Ms Haydon had suggested it was time for her husband to “take some time off after making several stupid recent mistakes”.

Over recent days not one senior Albanese Government minister has condemned the Prime Minister’s lewd and sexually charged comments on the X-rated podcast interview despite the appearance drawing an enormous backlash and making global headlines.

Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong last week also refused to criticise the Prime Minister declaring people should be “gracious” that he had said sorry.

“I think the Prime Minister has apologised unequivocally and that matter is now closed,” she told Sky News.

A video of the sit-down interview filmed with comedian Nikki Osborne at the PM’s official Canberra residence and posted to YouTube had attracted tens of thousands of views within a week.