Prominent Aboriginal Australian Warren Mundine has joined calls for the ABC to be banned from hosting its annual New Year's Eve fireworks coverage after yet another divisive and politically charged broadcast.
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.
While the display before the 9pm fireworks display featured a projection of the popular children's show Bluey onto the pillars of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, it also featured an overtly political performance by Indigenous rap group 3%.
The group's song “Our People” includes lyrics such as “They stole the land in the name of their kings,” “They locked us up and then they threw away the key,” and “You can suck my Moby D*** '.
The references to the failed Voice to Parliament referendum, the colonization of Australia and the Stolen Generation led critics to question why the ABC chooses to politicize New Year's Eve every year.
The broadcast also featured a singer from Melbourne Angie McMahon, who not only took the stage to sing Nothing Compares to You by Sinead O'Connor, but also made a statement about the Israel-Hamas conflict.
McMahon took the opportunity to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during her set, telling the audience, “Palestinians must be free.”
Viewers called the singer a “wannabe activist” and wondered why the taxpayer-funded performances had to come with a “painful political statement.”
Rap group 3% received mixed reviews after performing for Sydney's 9pm fireworks display
Others called for the ABC to be defunded for choosing a racially charged rap song about Invasion Day as part of its family-friendly content.
'It is nothing but government propaganda and is full of the woke agenda. No thanks. Biggest waste of taxpayers' money. #Defund ABC,” someone wrote on X.
“Who at ABC Australia thought it was a good idea to put on a terrible rap group before the children's fireworks and then just show projections on the bridge for a lot of the fireworks?” said another.
Prominent anti-Voice campaigner Warren Mundine told Daily Mail Australia it was “disgraceful” for the ABC to politicize New Year's Eve entertainment.
“We just want to have a relaxed start to the year and have fun because it's going to be a big one this year,” Mr Mundine said.
“NYE is an incredible milestone for Sydney, and indeed for the world. It's being broadcast all over the world and I think people are getting tired of the politicization of things.
“We are tired of the politicization of everything. We Australians are quite relaxed.'
Popular cartoon characters from the children's television program Bluey were projected onto the Harbor Bridge
The rap group 3% performed with support from traditional indigenous dancers (photo)
“I think it's time for Channel 7 to take over as host on NYE, ABC sucks!” another wrote.
A third branded the coverage the 'worst NYE broadcast ever' and said they turned it off after realizing it was 'just another woke show'.
A fourth wrote: 'What ever happened to a fun night out for everyone without a painful political statement? It's hard to believe that this 'unbiased' station still exists when it is funded by taxpayers and costs billions annually.”
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 viewing 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.”
Earlier in the evening, a smoking ceremony was held on the traditional boats Tribal Warrior, Mari Nawi and Wiraw from 7.30pm.
Spectators were then treated to a light show at 8.30pm with AI-controlled projections on the Harbor Bridge and illuminated boats in the water.
Just before 9pm, a Welcome to Country was held by Sydney Aboriginal elders before the 'Calling Country' fireworks display began.
The show, choreographed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, was described as a celebration of sky, land and sea.
More than a million people flocked to viewing points on Sydney Harbor to watch the display, but not everyone was happy with what they saw.
There are calls for the 'woke' ABC to be sacked as host of the annual event and replaced this year by another broadcaster.
“Is it time we all just admit that the ABC is a national disgrace when it comes to NYE broadcasts,” they said. “It couldn't be less joyful if it tried.”
And it is not the first time that the national broadcaster has been criticized for its coverage of New Year's Eve.
There are calls for the ABC to be 'fired' from hosting the New Year's Eve fireworks
In 2022, the ABC was slammed in the aftermath of the 9pm fireworks, with some unhappy spectators criticizing the 'woke' theme.
The lineup included a performance by rap duo Barkaa and Dobby who performed their 2020 song I Can't Breathe while wearing Black Lives Matter t-shirts.
It referred to the 438 indigenous people who had died in police custody that year.
The 2022 'Welcome to Country' fireworks theme was put together by Blak Douglas, formerly known as Adam Douglas Hill, an Indigenous artist and musician.
“We're taking over one of the most famous icons in the world,” the artist said, referring to the Sydney Harbor Bridge as he announced the fireworks.
'An icon that was never consulted by the Gadigal or Cammeray people.'
The exhibition focused on First Nations cultures, followed by those of the Torres Strait Islands, with an Indigenous-themed soundtrack used as music.
ABC's live New Year's Eve coverage was 'woke' and a 'disgrace' in 2022
Sydney's 9pm New Year's Eve children's fireworks display received mixed reviews in 2023, with some criticizing the ABC for their political and 'woke' theme
In 2023, ABC's live coverage of New Year's Eve was similarly criticized by viewers who called the show a “woke disgrace.”
The show featured singer Casey Donovan covering Lizzo's 2 Be Loved (Am I Ready) and a segment on Indigenous artists Carmen Glynn-Braun and Dennis Golding.
The pair curated the Calling Country 9pm fireworks around themes of land and sea which were projected onto the pylons of the Sydney Harbor Bridge.
“What an absolutely boring show at 9pm with absolutely boring, unknown 'music' and with what should be a party for everyone hijacked by a woke minority,” one viewer complained.
“What an absolute shame, a show of exclusion from the majority,” they added.
Another person wrote: 'Looks like @ABCTV #SydneyNYE is trying to appeal to a younger audience this year, but they don't seem to understand that young people don't stay home on #NYE to watch the #ABC.'
“#SydneyNYE could they have missed the mark more with the fireworks music selection for kids?” someone else commented.
The music for the 2023 fireworks was an Indigenous-themed soundtrack
More than a million people flocked to viewing points across Sydney Harbor to watch the fireworks display, while others enjoyed themselves in pubs, clubs and at parties in Melbourne and the Gold Coast.
Some revelers' festivities ended with a refreshing dip in the ocean at sunrise, while others had to wait for hours for Ubers and trains into the early hours.
On the Gold Coast, heavy downpours did little to dampen the spirits of revelers who braved the rain to ring in 2024 in style.
Sydney Mayor Clover Moore said the city's New Year's Eve festivities gave the economy a $280 million boost, a 2019 study found.