Samantha Armytage has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Australia Day celebrations, saying she will mark the day with pride.
The 47-year-old Channel Seven star revealed on Wednesday she will be decorating her home with Australian flags.
On Instagram, the “Farmer Wants a Wife” host shared a picture of ten flags placed in a silver mug on a coffee table in her home.
The former Sunrise presenter wrote next to the picture: “Best country in the world.”
In recent years there has been much debate in the weeks leading up to Australia Day about whether it is wrong to celebrate the day the First Fleet colonized Australia in 1788.
Samantha Armytage has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Australia Day celebrations, saying she will mark the day with pride
Indigenous activists say the date should be changed.
According to her social media posts and previous comments from her hosting days on Sunrise, Armytage is an avid supporter of Australia Day on January 26th.
In 2017, she went head-to-head with a suburban Melbourne mayor who said those who opposed her city council's decision to abandon Australia Day celebrations were “uneducated”.
Armytage confronted Mayor Kim Le Cerf in a heated interview, persistently pressing the community leader about the tiny poll on which the council based its decision and her claim that “if more Australians were educated they would be ashamed of Australia Day”.
“Aren’t you elected to make a decision on behalf of the people of your county?” Armytage said, interrupting Ms. Le Cerf mid-sentence.
The 47-year-old Channel Seven star revealed on Wednesday she will be decorating her home with Australian flags
“In the best interests of our community, yes, and what we are hearing from our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, is that January 26 marks the beginning of invasion and dispossession,” Ms Le Cerf said.
After a back-and-forth debate, Armytage confronted Ms Le Cerf about her comments about uneducated Australians.
“Correct me if I’m wrong, but you’re quoted as saying, “If more Australians were educated, they would be ashamed of Australia Day.” Do you stand by that? Are you on national television about this now? Armytage asked.
Ms Le Cerf began to speak when she was interrupted by Armytage, who asked her directly if she stood by her comment.
Armytage is an avid supporter of Australia Day on January 26, as evidenced by her social media posts and previous comments from her hosting days at Sunrise (pictured).
“Yes, I do,” said Ms. Le Cerf.
Meanwhile, Armytage Sunrise successor Natalie Barr accused the Woolworths CEO of trying to make a political statement about Australia Day on Wednesday – prompting the supermarket boss to insist he was not trying to “cancel” the national holiday. .
The supermarket giant shocked customers earlier this month when it announced it would not stock goods for January 26 due to falling demand and sensitivities around the day.
In response to the public backlash, the retailer has since taken out full-page newspaper advertisements with a letter written by the boss insisting the retailer does not observe Anti-Australia Day.
Armytage's Sunrise successor Natalie Barr (pictured) accused the Woolworths CEO of trying to make a political statement on Australia Day on Wednesday
“We are not trying to ‘cancel’ Australia Day, rather Woolworths is deeply proud of our place in providing the fresh food that brings Australians together every day,” Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci wrote.
The South African-born chief executive caught criticism from Barr while appearing on Sunrise on Wednesday morning.
“Ultimately it's your job to tell Australians what they can and can't buy?” she asked.
In his response, Mr. Banducci took a swipe at rival retailers who had criticized Woolworth's move.
In recent years there has been much debate in the weeks leading up to Australia Day about whether it is wrong to celebrate the day the First Fleet colonized Australia in 1788
“The great thing about retailers is that we all make different decisions about what we stock – they've made their decision and we've made ours,” he said.
“We're focused on providing great value for everyday needs so you can mark the occasion and celebrate the Australia Day long weekend with friends and family. That's our focus.”
Millions of Australians are gearing up for the long weekend as Australia Day approaches.
While banks and all government branches such as Centrelink will remain closed on Friday, most large shops will remain open for at least part of the day.