Ben Fordham rips into Chris Minns for not lighting up Opera House for King Charles’ Coronation

Labor Prime Minister Chris Minns is under fire for canceling plans to illuminate the Sydney Opera House to commemorate King Charles’s coronation on Saturday night.

Former Liberal Prime Minister Dominic Perrottet had previously made plans to project images onto the Opera House to celebrate King Charles’ historic ascendancy to the British throne.

But his Labor successor Chris Minns failed to implement the plans, leading Fordham to ask the NSW Prime Minister why the images were not shown.

“Who died and made you king?” 2 GB breakfast host Ben Fordham said of the decision to turn on the lights for the once-in-a-generation event held on Saturday.

Mr Minns revealed that he called for financial reasons and explained that it would have cost around $100,000 in taxpayers’ money to light up the Opera House.

Fordham pointed out that the Opera House was lit up after Queen Elizabeth II’s death on September 8, 2022.

He wondered how Mr. Minns decided that the “King doesn’t deserve” to be given the same kind of respect and light on the famous rooftop as his mother.

Fordham accused the prime minister of ‘nitpicking’, claiming that Mr Minns had ‘annoyed a lot of people’ with his captain’s call.

Mr Minns argued that the late Queen Elizabeth II had ‘dedicated five decades to Australia and the Commonwealth’ compared to her son who only recently ascended the throne.

The late Queen Elizabeth II was head of the Commonwealth for seven decades, from her coronation on February 6, 1952, until her death on September 8, 2022.

Mr Minns said the decision ultimately came down to the financial cost.

“It costs between [$80,000] and $100,000 to light the Opera House. We need to be aware of where tax money is being spent and of course there are other places and other ways to commemorate the King’s event,” he said.

‘I took into account that in 2012 the Opera House was illuminated for 23 days over 365 days. Last year it was lit for more than 70 days,” he said.

“It was lit up for everything from solemn occasions to a football team touring NSW. I think it was FC Barcelona, ​​so of course that’s not appropriate.’

Mr Minns said he had been selective about the reasons for commemorating and revealed he had turned down several offers from different groups to lighten the venue.

“I’d like to save it for Australia and Australians and moments of sacrifice and heroism for the country or when there’s a major international event in Sydney,” he said.

Fordham rejected his argument and hit back: “Of course, but the coronation of the king is not very common and we are not yet a republic.

“So this is our NSW or your NSW, and who died and made you king?”

Fordham pointed out that a year ago Mr Minns had called for the Ukrainian flag to be beamed onto the roof of the venue.

The demand was made after Russia launched its invasion of the Eastern European country on February 24, 2022.

Fordham said he had been receiving emails all day from angry listeners outraged by the decision not to light up the Opera House.

NSW Governor Margaret Beazley was among those who left voice messages with the call particularly painful for Mr Minns.

Ms Beazley swore in Mr Minns as NSW Prime Minister on March 28 after defeating Mr Perrottet in the state election.

Ms Beazley said she was ‘upset’ by Minns’ choice and called it ’embarrassing’.

Another listener called Minns’ decision “petty” and “unforgivable,” while a third said it showed “an appalling disrespect for the new king of our Commonwealth.”