Australian media apologizes after outrage over racist ad | WKZO | All Kalamazoo

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SYDNEY (Reuters) A major Australian media outlet apologized on Thursday after a full-page advertisement in its daily newspaper was slammed as racist for its portrayal of the country’s indigenous people.

Australians will vote in a referendum later this year on whether they support changing the constitution to include a voice in parliament, an indigenous committee that can advise parliament on matters affecting its aborigines and islanders. Torres Strait.

The advertisement in the Australian Financial Review shows Independent MP Kate Chaney sitting on the lap of her father, Wesfarmers Chairman Michael Chaney, as he hands over money to Aboriginal leader Thomas Mayo, who appears to be standing below him.

Wesfarmers, owner of the Bunnings hardware chain, donated funds to support the Aboriginal referendum. Several other companies have also come out in favor of the change.

The advertisement was paid for by the No campaign group which lobbies against the Voice in Parliament.

The advert should not have been shown and we apologize for that, a spokesperson for media company Nine, which owns the Australian Financial Review, said in a statement.

We want to encourage mature debate on both sides and avoid personal and/or inappropriate attacks, the statement said.

It is disappointing to see the No campaign stoop to personal and racist attacks when Australians are more interested in knowing the facts about voice and how it can contribute to Closing the Gap, Kate Chaney said in a statement, a reported ABC News.

Outraged Australians also took to social media to speak out against the ad.

In a few small steps, the No campaign reduced a respectful and important national conversation to racist, sexist and insulting tropes, Independent MP Monique Ryan said on Twitter.

(Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Ros Russell)

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