Sandra Sully defends Channel 10’s boycott of Australia Day after staff encouraged to work

Broadcaster Sandra Sully has weighed in on Channel 10’s decision not to celebrate Australia Day, saying the reason behind the call is the controversial date of the day and not the occasion itself.

Last week, the network’s parent company Paramount’s chief content officer, Beverley McGarvey, and co-director Jarrod Villani emailed staff informing them they could choose to work on January 26 instead of taking the public holiday. .

The couple told staff the date was “not a day of celebration” for indigenous peoples and said employees could decide to work and take another day off for leave.

Sully, a journalist, presenter and editor at Ten News First, was asked what her position was on the decision by a Twitter user who accused the network of “not supporting Australia Day”.

‘This is not about supporting Australia Day. It’s about the DATE,’ Sully replied.

In the email sent to staff, Ms. McGarvey and Mr. Villani only referred to the holiday as “January 26.”

“At Paramount ANZ, our goal is to create a safe place to work where cultural differences are appreciated, understood and respected,” the couple wrote in the email, first published by The Australian Media Journal column.

‘For our First Nations people, we as an organization recognize that January 26 is not a day of celebration.

“We recognize that there has been a turbulent history, particularly around that date and the recognition that that date is Australia Day.

“We recognize that January 26 evokes different emotions for our employees across the company, and we are responsive to employees who may not feel comfortable taking this day as a public holiday.”

The announcement caused great division with many accusing Channel 10 of ‘boycotting’ Australia’s national holiday.

Former Channel 10 presenter Joe Hildebrand joined the debate, accusing his former workplace of virtue-singing. He was the host of the Studio 10 morning show from 2013 until he was fired in 2020.

Hildebrand said the network could be donating to indigenous charities instead, and he couldn’t resist taking a jab at Channel 10’s dwindling workforce.

“I’d also like to see of all these companies that have been sending group emails to their employees recently, and the great thing about Channel 10 is that every year there are fewer and fewer employees to send group emails to, why not instead donate half of their profits to charities that actually help indigenous people?’ she said in Breaking Dawn.

“I’m pretty sure you’ll see them seize the opportunity to [donate to Indigenous charities]just as they jumped at the chance to show how sensitive they are about Australia Day.

“By January 26, they’re going to do their best to give their money, all their profits (obviously, the profits don’t apply to Channel 10) to these fabulous charities who work so hard for so little money, all the time.”

Channel 10 was previously applauded for its use of traditional indigenous names for capital cities during a weather report in the middle of NAIDOC week in July.

Instead of Sydney, the presenter read the forecast for Gadigal, and for Melbourne, the city was referred to by its traditional name of Naarm.

The network first changed its weather map to include traditional names last year, and many Australians immediately praised its choice.

Controversy has surrounded the celebration of Australia Day in recent years, with many calling for the date to be changed in regards to indigenous Australians.