ABC feels heat over Hottest 100

TRIPLE J’s decision to move its Hottest 100 countdown has been slammed by the Federal Government as an “attempt to delegitimise Australia Day”.

Communications Minister Mitch Fifield said yesterday that he would be asking the ABC to reconsider its decision to move the countdown, labelling the move “bizarre” and a “really bad idea”.

The Minister told the ABC to “embrace” Australia Day being on January 26.

“There’s been a very spontaneous reaction from members of the community and among my parliamentary colleagues that this is an attempt to delegitimise Australia Day,” he told ABC radio.

“Australia Day is the 26th of January.

“That’s not going to change, it’s not going anywhere and we should all embrace it.”

Triple J announced on Monday it would permanently move the Hottest 100 to the fourth weekend of January, rather than hold it on January 26.

It came after a string of local councils across the country voted this year to move their citizenship ceremonies out of respect to indigenous Australians, who feel the date marks the invasion of Australia and beginning of colonisation.

Almost 65,000 listeners responded to an ABC survey on the move and 60 per cent indicated they wanted the Hottest 100 on a different date.

In a statement on Monday, the station said it did not take a view in debate on Australia Day but supported the Hottest 100 being an event that everyone could enjoy.

Minister Fifield argued the Hottest 100 had been on Australia Day for 20 years and become one of the “fixed points of reference” of the day.

“I think Triple J is in effect making a political statement by shifting the Hottest 100 from Australia Day,” he said.

“Australia is our national day, it’s a day of great pride, it’s a unifying day.

“And sometimes as a Minister you slap your forehead and say to yourself ‘What were these guys thinking?’

“This is just a really bad idea, it’s a dumb idea and Triple J should change their mind.”

Mr Fifield denied he was politicising the decision by challenging the ABC’s move while highlighting how much taxpayer funding the broadcaster received.

“The ABC is, through this action, seeking to delegitimise Australia Day,” he said.

“They shouldn’t, they should embrace it.

“They’re the national public broadcaster, they get the best part of $1 billion a year. The ABC shouldn’t have an issue with Australia Day.”