By SENATOR JACINTA NAMPIJINPA-PRICE
In a National Press Club address last year, ABC Managing Director, Hugh Marks, spoke about the ABC’s Charter-directed commitments that included “non-discrimination.” He mentioned that it was the ABC’s role to “protect and promote our national identity.” And he said he wanted the ABC to be “the number one source of facts and truth.”
On each criterion, the ABC has failed with the broadcasting of “Always Was Tonight” on 22 January, hosted by Tony Armstrong.
Although the odious segments have been highlighted by some of my colleagues – as well as by journalists from The Australian and Sky News Australia – what has gone largely unreported is the content that was in the show’s news ticker – the horizontal bar of scrolling text at the bottom of the screen.
Here are some examples:
“Stickler historian wants you to remember Arthur Phillip was also a c**t.”
“Second Fleet also shit.”
“All white Australians officially declared bankrupt over incalculable debt to mob.”
“Dispossession: the only true crime white people don’t love investigating.”
“ABC announces more manageable series: Stuff the British didn’t steal.”
“Flag cape worn on front to hide piss stains.”
“White guy in ‘Australia: drive it like you stole it’ shirt kinda bragging.”
“Philanthropist creates multiple grants and fellowships to atone for family history of dispossession.”
“Rural property owner discovers his view isn’t priceless as new massacre sites uncovered.”
“Man who doesn’t want to be welcomed into his own country also not welcome in his own home.”
“Woman who has never left NSW thrilled to learn she’s actually visited 45 countries.”
“Government announces people with ‘white saviour complex’ now eligible for NDIS.”
“National Reconciliation Week announces theme for 2026: ‘Nah, f**k yas’.”
“Ally with tan asks therapist if she has accidentally done black face.”
The ABC tried to defend this program as satire. It was nothing of the sort.
Every country has its dark chapters – and Australia is no exception. But we have fewer dark chapters than other countries – and we’ve been willing to acknowledge those dark chapters, apologise for them, and learn from them.
Most importantly, Australia’s achievements and successes overwhelmingly outweigh our wrongdoings and failures. And that’s why we need to call out activist-driven programs like “Always Was Tonight”.
Activists are determined to look at our history in the most hostile, unforgiving and unbalanced manner imaginable.
In demonising British settlement, activists seek to delegitimise the achievement of modern Australia by falsely claiming our nation was founded on original sin. And in seeking to tear open the wounds of past grievances, their aim is to peddle the falsehood of genocide, sow social division, and divide our country by race.
Australians aren’t mugs. They can see through the agenda of these activists. And unlike the noisy activists, the majority of Australians appreciate how lucky we are to live in Australia, have gratitude to our forebears, and know we are the custodians of a remarkable legacy.
How brilliant that an IPA poll found that 76% of Aussies want Australia Day to stay on January 26 (up from 69% last year), including 83% of Aussies aged 18-24 (up from 52% last year).
Despite the best efforts of activists, Australians are clearly standing for resilience over victimhood, gratitude over resentment, forgiveness over retribution, self-assurance over demoralisation, truth over falsehood, and unity over division.
Which brings me back to the ABC. It’s an utter disgrace that “Always Was Tonight” – propaganda masquerading as comedy – was allowed to be made, let alone broadcast.
The taxpayer-funded national broadcaster is not the “the nation’s town square”, as claimed by Mr Marks. Today, the ABC more closely resembles a sewer of activism.
“Always Was Tonight” is yet another example of how the ABC has turned its back on objectivity.
