New South Wales Premier Chris Minns has opened up about his former clubbing days and a "pretty wild" bucks week during an interview on 2DayFM's Breakfast with Nath and Emma on Tuesday morning.
The 46-year-old Premier made the admissions after co-host Nath Roye asked him how he enjoyed a night out in his early adulthood.
"Well, I'm a southern Sydney boy so we were in the St. George area in the Shire northeast. Bit of Northies, bit of Carmen's. Yes. And Oatley Pub, Oatley RSL," Minns began.
He then joked about trying to forget his experiences at the Vinyl Room nightclub in Gymea. "I have vague memories of it... but I think I've tried to forget it as part of a 12 step program to just get that out of my mind. I've definitely been there... but I try not to admit it!" he said.
Asked when he last stayed out past midnight outside of work, Minns admitted it was for a friend's special occasion. "A mate of mine had a pretty wild bucks week," he said, before declining to share further details. "You know what? It's probably best I keep it to myself," the Sydney-born politician said.
Nightlife's economic value
Minns went on to say Sydney's nightlife sector was vital to the economy. "We're not a country town. This is a big international city. It's connected to the rest of the world and it has to act like a big city... It's huge," he said. He added that 1.3 million people work between 6pm and 6am, contributing $110 billion to the New South Wales economy.
A history of candid radio moments
Minns has built a reputation for his down-to-earth demeanour in radio interviews. In March 2023, ahead of the state election, radio hosts Kyle and Jackie O said they would vote for Minns after he impressed them by playing the riff from AC/DC's "Thunderstruck" on guitar. Jackie quipped that his guitar skills "made him even hotter."
Minns, who also played a duet cover of Lady Gaga's "Shallow" with Jackie O, joked he was a "pretty substandard guitarist."
He also addressed his vaping habits, responding to comments about then-Premier Dominic Perrottet's admission he didn't mind an occasional "mixed fruit" vape. "I don't vape, no, I've never vaped," Minns said.
