Triple J has declined any comment on the matter. This is really important to us. In short: “it’s under review”.
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The public broadcaster is in “serious talks” to shift the date from January 26 due to growing public statement that it’s disrespectful to Indigenous Australians.
In 2015 Triple J listeners raised over $100,000 for AIME’s mentoring program for Indigenous kids.
Founder and CEO of AIME Jack Manning-Bancroft said while Australia Day represents pain and mourning for many Australians it also represents huge pride too. It also represents huge pride for many Aussies, reflecting on how far we’ve come. “What I love about triple j and the Hottest 100 is that we have a chance to speak to millions of Australians and provide a platform to shape a narrative for the future filled with colour, joy and love of our difference”.
A Facebook event has also been set up by Busch, calling for supporters to sign the petition, call and email Triple J.
AIME is now working with more than 6,000 Indigenous children across the country. “We want to change the way Australia operates and couldn’t think of a better partner to help make that happen”.
In our view, if the station did change the date of the Hottest 100 it would have been interpreted as a highly political decision.
It’s looking very likely that the annual Triple J “Hottest 100”, an institution that is the foundation of many young Aussies’ Australia Day celebrations, will move to a less provoking date than Australia Day (or Invasion Day).
The news comes just a week after The Australian published a scathing op-ed berating triple J’s “anti-establishment ethos”; and after Melbourne man Brendan Busch launched a competition aimed at pressuring the station to change the date of the Hottest 100 whereby the victor would receive a ticket to Falls Festival if they successfully lobbied triple J into caving, as reported by Fasterlouder.
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According to Pedestrian.TV, “multiple well-placed sources” have confirmed a number of closed-door meetings at the ABC (including an all-staff meeting) and there are “serious talks” about changing the date. The story is pretty much the same over on social media.
