‘Read the room’: Indigenous cricket star slams PM over Australia Day stance
Proud Indigenous cricketer Dan Christian has taken aim at Scott Morrison amid the furore over cricket’s decision to dump the term ‘Australia Day’ for promotional purposes, telling the Prime Minister to “read the room”.
On the same day Anthony Mundine applauded Cricket Australia’s initiative and described Australia Day as “a dark, dark day”, Christian took to social media to hit back at Morrison.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison holds a trophy with PM XI’s co-captains Dan Christian and Peter Siddle in 2019.Credit:Getty Images
Morrison suggested CA stick to cricket and stay out of politics after they gave Big Bash teams the option of switching the term ‘Australia Day’ to ‘January 26’ as a mark of respect for the Indigenous community in three BBL games next Tuesday.
“I think a bit more focus on cricket and a bit less focus on politics would be my message to Cricket Australia,” Mr Morrison told radio station 4RO.
Morrison doubled down later in the day when he said it was “not a particularly flash day for the people on those vessels either” in reference to the 1788 arrival, which drew immediate criticism from Labor and the Greens.
Christian, who has played for Australia and is one of five indigenous cricketers currently in the BBL, will take part in one of the fixtures on Tuesday for the Sixers.
The Wiradjuri cricketer, who spent time with Morrison as a co-captain of the Prime Minister’s XI in 2019, could not hide his frustrations with the Prime Minister.
“Read the room Mr Prime Minister,” Christian posted.
“@CricketAus are leading the way because your government won’t. There’ll be millions of kids watching our @BBL games on the 26th January, and they’ll see us taking a knee against racism, and promoting inclusion for all. Take note.″
Earlier on Friday, Mundine, who has never been afraid to voice his opinions, said he associated Australia Day with “blood being spilled and genocide being rife”, and Morrison’s response to CA was typical.
Anthony Mundine applauded Cricket Australia’s recommendation to dump ‘Australia Day’ from BBL promotions.Credit:Getty Images
“It was a great initiative by Cricket Australia and what they wanted to do, but for ‘ScoMo’ to come out and rebel against that, it shows you where the country is at,” Mundine told the Herald on Friday.
“If we’re going to move forward for a better Australia, you have to do your history, research the anthem, research the flag, Australia Day ... that day blood was spilled and genocide was rife.
“The anthem and flag and actual day itself, to me it’s a dark, dark day.
“We have to change the date and have a day when we can celebrate the new Australia and moving forward rather than the old Australia and the dark past.″
Mel Jones, a CA director and co-chair of CA’s First Nations Advisory Committee, declared this was never about “tokenism” and said “this was never about politics for us, it’s purely about cricket.”
“There was no politics in regards to changing the date or anything along those lines. The conversation was purely about, ‘how do we help this day be as safe and respectful for everyone involved in cricket’,” Jones said.
CA director and co-chair of the First Nations Advisory Committee Mel Jones with Meg Lanning.Credit:Getty Images
Jones quipped within hours of the recommendation becoming front-page news, she received “lovely pieces of advice” from people on social media who suggested she should “hang her head in shame” and was being “un-Australian”, despite living in Australia since she was three months with her father from Trinidad and Australian mother with Irish and Scottish heritage.
Nick Cummins, the general manager of Melbourne Stars and the commercial manager of both of the Victorian city’s BBL franchises, said on Thursday they would continue to promote the two games at the MCG on January 26 as Australia Day matches.
“Melbourne Stars’ view is that this is a complex issue that needs time and extensive engagement,” Cummins said.
“We didn’t have anything overtly jingoistic planned for Australia Day but we’ll continue to refer to the day as Australia Day this year.″
Sydney Sixers boss Jodie Hawkins, however, was supportive of the move, and took it a step further by arranging for elder Marcia Ella-Duncan to address the playing group via Zoom on Friday to improve their knowledge about cultural awareness and why Australia Day was considered so offensive to the Indigenous community.
Christian covers rugby league for The Sydney Morning Herald.