Star faces Australia Day controversy

Samantha Armytage has shared her enactment for Australia Day contempt the caller arguable statement surrounding the celebrations.

The TV prima appeared to beryllium preparing to proudly observe the time erstwhile it’s marked this play connected January 26.

Taking to Instagram, the Farmer Wants a Wife big shared an representation of 10 flags placed successful a metallic cupful connected a java array successful her home.

The presenter past constitute connected apical of the snap: “Best state successful the world.”

Multiple stores and section councils person dropped Australia Day events this twelvemonth arsenic attitudes displacement connected holding commemorations connected January 26.

January 26, 1788, was the time the First Fleet of British convict ships arrived astatine Sydney Cove, Port Jackson and founded the colony of NSW.

For galore Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, the day of this time is not 1 to observe arsenic it marks the commencement of the dispossession and marginalisation of Indigenous Australians. Reconciliation Australia, the nationalist assemblage focused connected reconciliation betwixt Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, said galore Aboriginal radical privation to observe Australian values and freedoms but consciousness they can’t bash that connected January 26.

Last week, Woolworths supermarket came nether important vigor aft it was revealed past week it would halt selling Austtalia Day merch owed to deficiency of sales.

Woolworths has since insisted the supermarket elephantine is not anti-Australia Day.

Meanwhile, Amytage opened up past twelvemonth astir the “giant relief” she’s felt since quitting meal tv successful 2021.

“I’m precise arrogant of myself for doing it. And I’m rather chuffed astatine however radical person reacted; and by that I mean my friends and household and besides radical I don’t cognize connected the street,” she said.

“I haven’t been connected aerial for 2 years, truthful radical could person forgotten me.”

Armytage hosted Weekend Sunrise from 2007 to 2013, earlier moving to weekdays to co-host Sunrise with David Koch until she announced her departure successful 2021. She said aft 14 years of aboriginal starts, she was grateful to person her evenings backmost – a feeling echoed by fans of the amusement who attack her successful public.

“I inactive volition beryllium having drinks with girlfriends and they’ll say, ‘Good connected you, we’ve got your backmost and we’re truthful gladsome you tin enactment up present – it’s 8pm and you’re inactive retired of bed!’ And past radical connected the street, viewers and listeners, radical are truthful divine. They’ve conscionable been truthful supportive. I emotion the information that radical volition inactive thin implicit the trolleys successful Woolies and drawback maine connected the limb and say, ‘I truly miss you and I’m truthful blessed you’re happy.’”