Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has called out TV presenter Sam Newman after he suggested Australians should start booing the Welcome to Country at the AFL Grand Final.
The Herald Sun reported that Mr Andrews has fired back at the former footballer’s call.
“When it comes to the views of former footballers, I’d be more inclined to listen to Uncle Michael Long on these issues than Sam Newman — like every day and twice on Sundays, I’d listen to Michael Long before I talk to Sammy,” he began.
“Why would you boo the oldest continuous culture known to human history. Why would you do that? That’s not something to boo. That’s something to celebrate,” Mr Andrews continued.
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“I don’t think that would the be the right thing to do. That’s not something I’d do.”
The Premier then said he disagreed that the Welcome to Country was tokenistic.
“He’s no fan of mine. He carried on like there was no tomorrow,” Mr Andrews added.
Newman, who serves as a clear opponent to the Yes campaign, made the controversial comments on his podcast You Cannot Be Serious.
The 77-year-old criticised the AFL for promoting what he believes is ‘virtuous, patronising nonsense’ while claiming the acknowledgement of the traditional owners causes further division.
“If we are at all serious about the Welcome to Country and the nonsense that has suddenly taken over in the last 20 years from a completely harmless introduction by Ernie Dingo some years ago and people have latched onto it,” he said.
“What about this, next time you go to a public event like the Grand Final or a football game or any public event in an auditorium and they trot out the Welcome to Country, start booing … or slow hand clapping.”
He added that such traditions were a push for ‘reparations and financial power’.
“It is, and I’m saying, the next time you go to a football game, a final, and they trot this nonsense out just start booing and that’ll stop [it],” Newman added.
Newman has since doubled down on his remarks while appearing on 3AW earlier this week.
When asked by host Tony Jones if he thought his comments would ‘incite violence’, the podcaster insisted that many Australians were sick of being told how to live their lives.
“My statement on the podcast was a provocative suggestion that people push back on this nonsense,” Newman added.
Charisa Bossinakis