Jacinta Nampijinpa Price blasts Cricket Australia for ignoring Indigenous Aussies who are ‘sick to death of being painted as victims’

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price has aimed the flamethrower at Cricket Australia over its decision to cancel all forms of the sport on Australia Day from 2025 and consult with indigenous groups on how to celebrate January 26.

Cricket fans across the country won’t see any team in green and gold playing on Australia Day in 2025, with the team’s nearest Test match starting on January 29 against Sri Lanka.

It comes after Cricket Australia vowed not to mention the words ‘Australia Day’ during the Gabba Test in Brisbane earlier this year, when the second day of the Test against the West Indies fell on the national holiday.

Now the shadow minister for Indigenous Australians has criticized Cricket Australia and told organizers to ‘stick to sport and stay out of politics’.

“Why is it that suddenly…Cricket Australia and groups like this have to turn around and say, oh, we better consult a group of indigenous Australians?” Senator Price asked on Sky News.

“What about the cricket fans across the country?”

Australia will not play Test matches or any other form of cricket on National Day next year (Photo, left to right: Test stars Steve Smith, Mitch Marsh and Alex Carey)

Senator Price also challenged Cricket Australia, asking who was consulted before decisions surrounding the National Day were made.

“Which Indigenous Australians will you consult?” she asked.

“Those who were in favor of activism and changing the date of Australia Day?

“Or those who are proud to call themselves Australian in this country, who voted ‘no’ in the referendum, who are sick of separatism and are constantly portrayed as victims?”

However, Cricket Australia bosses say the decision has nothing to do with previous controversies that have occurred in and around the national holiday.

The Australian Open men’s singles final will be held on the 26th next year and is always a ratings treat.

Tennis’ showpiece event is one of the main reasons why Cricket Australia has chosen to host the Big Bash Final on January 27, which is a public holiday in 2025.

Broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel Seven have backed the governing body’s decision.

Australia Day has become a divisive issue, with protesters launching a demonstration outside the Gabba grounds in Brisbane on January 26 this year (pictured)

Cricket fans across the country won’t be able to watch matches on Australia Day next year – but the sport’s bosses say the decision has nothing to do with past controversies that have unfolded in the run-up to January 26 (pictured, skipper Pat Cummins)

“We decided that January 27 is the best date for the BBL finals this season as it would give as many fans as possible the opportunity to attend or watch one of Australian sport’s great events,” said one spokesperson for Cricket Australia. News Corp.

“We make our scheduling decisions based on the interests of the fans and do not rule out playing on any day in the future.”

Scheduling the Test over the Australia Day weekend was itself controversial in the eyes of some, with all-rounder Ash Gardner, an Indigenous woman, previously describing it as a day of “pain and mourning”.

Gardner found support from Test captain Pat Cummins and star batsman Steve Smith.

Both claimed that January 26 is not an appropriate time to celebrate the national holiday as the date is a highly controversial issue due to the landing of the First Fleet from Britain in Australia.

Smith formed his opinion after a conversation with teammate Scott Boland, who has Indigenous descent.

The attitude of the cricketers angered some sections of the public at the time, with 3AW Morning presenter Tom Elliott being scathing in his criticism of Cummins.

“He makes me angry,” Elliott said.

“He sits there and pontificates and says, oh, Australia Day is a source of pain for so many people, we have to move the date.

“Hey, Pat Cummins, you get paid millions of dollars to pay for cricket. Without the British settlement Australia there would be no cricket here.

‘So you make money very directly from the fact that we have been colonized by Great Britain.

‘Then you sit there criticizing the whole thing. He’s just a complete hypocrite.’

In what has been a polarizing move dating back to 2021, Cricket Australia has not mentioned the words ‘Australia Day’ in any of its marketing or promotional events.