Sky News host Peta Credlin has defended Australians who booed during Welcome to Country ceremonies at Anzac Day services, admitting she herself 'boos on the inside'. Her comments followed widespread condemnation after booing disrupted Anzac Day dawn services in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth during Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country speeches by Indigenous elders.
'I'm just going through the papers, and I have to say, people booing on Anzac Day at services, I'm sorry, if you're a politician ripping into them today, you don't get a say - people have had enough,' Credlin said.
Credlin said the anger was especially pronounced in Victoria, where she argued voters were being ignored after rejecting the Indigenous Voice to Parliament at the referendum, while the state pressed ahead with a treaty process. 'In my state of Victoria, they voted against the Voice, and yet they're forced to have a treaty, they're forced to have all of this other stuff thrown at them,' Credlin said. 'It's like their vote doesn't matter, so I can understand how cranky they are.'
While she said she would not personally boo at a commemorative service, Credlin made clear her opposition to Welcome to Country ceremonies. 'Would I have done it? No, I wouldn't - but I don't do Acknowledgements of Country, and often I stand there for Welcomes to Country and I boo on the inside.'
'There might be a place for a Welcome to Country, but it is not every place, it is not everywhere, get the message, politicians, we have had enough,' she added.
