There have been renewed calls for the taxpayer-funded ABC to be sold to a private buyer and closed down after another divisive and politically charged broadcast.
The national broadcaster recently sparked a backlash for broadcasting political messages during the family-friendly New Year's Eve fireworks display at 9 p.m.
Confused parents complained on social media that evening that the lead-up to Calling Country's fireworks was inappropriate for children.
The show started with a welcome and smoking ceremony on three boats in the harbor, followed by a racially charged monologue.
It was then followed by a rap performance of a song called 'Our People' by the indigenous rap group '3 Percent'.
The song criticizes Australians for voting 'no' to the Voice to Parliament, calling them 'sick' and saying the country is going 'backwards'.
In a letter to the Daily Telegraph published on Thursday, Canberra resident Anthony Minarovic said: “To all the people complaining about the entertainment and fireworks on New Year's Eve, what did you expect?”
'I knew what to expect, so I didn't even turn it on. I don't know why the government isn't selling the ABC.'
Outspoken former Liberal candidate Katherine Deves, who ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the 2022 federal election, has also suggested the ABC should be disbanded.
In a message to X criticizing the broadcaster after the NYE show, she shared the hashtag #DefundtheABC.”
Someone has written a letter to the Daily Telegraph suggesting the ABC should be sold
However, Sydney Mayor Clover Moore has defended the show and its message.
Ms Moore was a leading supporter of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and said in a statement on social media that the show was intended to 'recognize Blake Power'.
“(The) 9pm Calling Country fireworks were all about celebrating our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities,” she wrote.
“It has been a difficult year for our indigenous communities as they have had to deal with the shameful referendum result.
“Tonight was about recognizing Blak's strength and resilience through music, art and fireworks.”
The taxpayer-funded national broadcaster has been widely criticized for their coverage of Sydney's 9pm New Year's Eve fireworks display, which was watched by millions of Australians, many of whom were under 12 years old.
The city of Sydney had one of the largest yes votes in the country, along with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's electorate, Grayndler and the Australian Capital Territory.
Before the show, Ms Moore said the 9pm fireworks display – normally called family fireworks as children are less likely to wake up for the midnight show – would “honour Australia's and Sydney's indigenous heritage”.
She said the show was called “Calling Country” and was created in collaboration with Indigenous artists.
The show, Ms Moore said, would remind the world that 'Sydney is a global city… inclusive and diverse for all communities'.
An ABC spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that family viewing was an important part of the broadcast.
He said the lead-up to the fireworks included an exclusive screening of Muster Dogs Series 2, as well as a special surprise of Bluey and Calling Country, a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait communities produced by Indigenous social enterprise We Are Warriors.
“The ABC's NYE concert also featured the biggest names in Australian music, including Jessica Mauboy, Genesis Owusu, King Stingray, Confidence Man, Angie McMahon, Mark Seymour, Grentperez and the Queen of New Year's Eve, Casey Donovan,” the spokesperson said.
“The ABC is a proud supporter of all aspects of Australian culture and entertainment on New Year's Eve and every other night of the year.”
The ABC is the national broadcaster (most countries in the world have one) and is funded by the taxpayer to be an impartial service providing accessible news.