A young Australian has delivered a cheeky message to the ABC after it was criticized for 'politicising' the family fireworks show at 9pm on NYE by broadcasting discussions about colonisation, the failed Voice to Parliament referendum and Palestine.
Now a young Australian commentator on social media has offered her own solution to the backlash.
Carla Efstratiou, a social media commentator who runs the popular account 'Go Woke Go Broke', said it was inevitable that people – presenters and performers alike – would not want to work on NYE.
Rather than finding second-rate talent, the woman said the public would “rather just not comment.”
“Just show us the fireworks. Show us some panoramic views of the city, talk to some revelers, show us the fireworks, that's it,” she said.
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.
'We don't need woke presenters, we don't need eisteddford style performances, just show us the action.
'And above all, leave politics out of it.'
Prominent Indigenous businessman Warren Mundine had a similar message earlier this week.
Speaking to Daily Mail Australia, he said it was “disgraceful” that New Year's Eve entertainment was being politicized.
“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.'
However, Sydney Mayor Clover Moore has defended the evening's political undertones.
Ms Moore was a leading supporter of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament and gave a telling hint that the evening would be highly political earlier in the evening
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] 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 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'.
Rising Melbourne singer Angie McMahon also faced backlash for her involvement in the much-criticized show. She took to the stage in a 'no kids in jail' shirt, referencing a campaign to raise the age of criminal responsibility in Australia, which is currently 10 years old.
The display showed a projection of the popular children's show Bluey on the pillars of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, before the 9pm fireworks
Elsewhere in that New Year's Eve speech, Ms. Moore expressed hope that “2024 would be a much better year than 2023, with an end to the destruction of communities in Gaza, Israel and Ukraine.”
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.”
It also featured an overtly political performance by indigenous rap group 3%