Sandra Sully defends Channel 10’s boycott of Australia Day after staff encouraged to work

Sandra Sully erupts at a Twitter troll with scathing post defending Channel 10’s decision to let staff work on Australia Day: ‘It’s about the DATE’

  • Sully said the decision not to celebrate national holiday was due to the date
  • Debate surrounds date of Australia Day, with many calling for it to be changed
  • Channel 10’s parent company said January 26 was not a day to celebrate
  • Paramount bosses instead told staff they could choose to work on the day  

Broadcaster Sandra Sully has weighed in on Channel 10’s decision not to celebrate Australia Day, saying the reasoning behind the call is the day’s controversial date and not the occasion itself.

Last week the chief content officer of the network’s parent company Paramount, Beverley McGarvey, and co-lead Jarrod Villani, sent an email to staff informing them staff could choose to work January 26 instead of taking the public holiday.

The pair told staff the date was ‘not a day of celebration’ for Indigenous people and said employees could decide to work and take another day off as leave instead.

Sully, a journalist, presenter and editor for Ten News First, was asked where she stood on the decision by a Twitter user who accused the network of ‘not supporting Australia Day’. 

‘This isn’t about supporting Australia Day. It’s about the DATE,’ Sully fired back in response.

Sandra Sully has weighed in on Channel 10’s decision not to celebrate Australia Day, saying the reasoning behind the call was the controversial date and not the occasion itself

In the email sent to staff, Ms McGarvey and Mr Villani only referred to the public holiday as ‘January 26’.

‘At Paramount ANZ we aim to create a safe place to work where cultural differences are appreciated, understood and respected,’ the pair wrote in the email, first published by The Australian’s Media Diary column.

‘For our First Nations people, we as an organisation acknowledge that January 26 is not a day of celebration. 

‘We recognise that there has been a turbulent history, particularly around that date and the recognition of that date being Australia Day.

Sully, a journalist, presenter and editor for Ten News First, was asked where she stood on the decision by a Twitter user who accused the network of 'not supporting Australia Day'

Sully, a journalist, presenter and editor for Ten News First, was asked where she stood on the decision by a Twitter user who accused the network of ‘not supporting Australia Day’

‘We recognise that January 26 evokes different emotions for our employees across the business, and we are receptive to employees who do not feel comfortable taking this day as a public holiday.’ 

The announcement sparked major division with many accusing Channel 10 of ‘boycotting’ Australia’s national holiday.

Ex-Channel 10 presenter Joe Hildebrand joined the debate and accused his former workplace of virtue signalling. He was the host on morning show Studio 10 from 2013 until he was laid off in 2020. 

Hildebrand said the network could instead be donating to Indigenous charities – and couldn’t resist taking a swipe at Channel 10’s shrinking workforce.

Controversy has surrounded the celebration of Australia Day in recent years, with many calling for the date to be changed in respect of Indigenous Australians (pictured Australia Day in Sydney, 2019)

Controversy has surrounded the celebration of Australia Day in recent years, with many calling for the date to be changed in respect of Indigenous Australians (pictured Australia Day in Sydney, 2019)

‘I’d also like to see from all these companies that have sent out group emails to their employees recently – and the good thing about Channel 10 is that every year there are fewer and fewer employees to send group emails to – why don’t they instead donate half their profits to charities that actually help Indigenous people?’ he said on Sunrise. 

‘I’m pretty sure you’ll see them jump at the chance to [donate to Indigenous charities], just as they’ve jumped at the chance to show how sensitive they are about Australia Day. 

‘By January 26, they’ll be falling over themselves to hand out their money, all their profits – obviously profits don’t apply to Channel 10 – to these terrific charities that work so hard for so little money, all the time.’

Channel 10 was previously applauded for its use of traditional Indigenous names for capital cities during a weather report amid NAIDOC week in July.

Instead of Sydney, the presenter read out the forecast for Gadigal, and for Melbourne, the city was referred to by its traditional name of Naarm.

The network first changed its weather map to include traditional names last year, and was immediately commended on the choice by many Aussies. 

Controversy has surrounded the celebration of Australia Day in recent years, with many calling for the date to be changed in respect of Indigenous Australians. 

Ex-Channel 10 presenter Joe Hildebrand joined the debate and accused his former workplace of virtue signalling

Ex-Channel 10 presenter Joe Hildebrand joined the debate and accused his former workplace of virtue signalling