Sam Newman addresses controversial act during Acknowledgement of Country at Australia Day event

AFL personality Sam Newman has addressed his controversial act during an Acknowledgement of Country at an Australia Day event.

AFL personality Sam Newman has doubled down on his controversial act during an Acknowledgement of Country at an Australia Day event, blasting the practice as “nonsense” and a “sham”.

The commentator and former Footy Show host was called out after he was spotted heading towards the exit during an Acknowledgement of Country at an Australia Day function at Victoria’s Government House on Wednesday.

An Acknowledgment of Country is commonly delivered at meetings and events to pay respect to traditional owners and recognise the continuing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to Country.

However, one of the hundreds of guests in attendance at Government House told the Daily MailNewman had turned his back and started making his way towards the exit when the governor of Victoria, Margaret Gardner, began reading the statement.

Newman attended an Australia Day function at Victoria’s Government House on Wednesday. Picture: Daily Mail

Newman didn’t go so far as to exit the venue, with the guest claiming Ms Gardner finished the address by the time the AFL star reached the door.

After turning around and resuming his place in the venue, Newman reportedly continued to position his back to the stage and take photos, the source claimed.

Addressing the moment on Sky News on Sunday, the controversial AFL commentator – who has previously urged Australians to boo the ‘Welcome to Country’ ceremony – said he began walking out of the venue “out of respect”.

“When they started the Welcome to Country, I started to move out of the hall out of respect,” Newman told the outlet.

“I don’t want to stay in any function … when they (deliver) Welcome to Country. I think it’s wrong and it’s nonsense and it’s … a sham. So I started to walk out, out of respect. Let’s not be a hypocrite, if you don’t like it, move out.”

Newman addressed why he headed towards to exit during the Acknowledgement of Country. Picture: Sky News

While he admitted to taking a stand against the address, Newman denied turning his back for the remainder of the speech, insisting he was simply filming.

“I was filming myself with the person speaking in the background because I was there to celebrate Australia Day,” he explained.

Doubling down on his stance, Newman went on blast Welcome to Country – a ceremony performed at events by Traditional Custodians.

“It’s a fraud, it’s absolute nonsense. Who is welcoming us to what? What country? We are all Australians. We don’t want to be divided by this racial lens that people look at our country through. It is just an absolute bogus …

“Welcome to country is just a recent invention that’s been hoisted on us … and it is nonsense. What would you welcome to what country? This country is here because some people arrived in the middle of the 1700s when settlement came and built the country to what it is. And we all want to be a part of it.”

Newman’s stunt was met with a largely positive reaction online, with many going so far as to commend the AFL personality for being a “legend”.

“Good on you Sam,” one person wrote.

“Go Sam your still a legend (sic),” said another.

“Well done Sam,” another wrote.

However not everyone was in support.

“Perhaps Newman should be banned from ever being invited again. Or alternately, perhaps people should turn their backs every time he speaks,” one person suggested.

Newman’s attempts to rubbish Welcome to Country fails miserably

It’s not the first time Newman has stirred up controversy over the topic.

In 2023, he encouraged Aussies on his podcast You Cannot Be Serious to boo or “slow hand clap” during the Welcome to Country at the AFL Grand Final at the MCG.

“If we are at all serious about the Welcome to Country and the nonsense that has suddenly taken over in the last 20 years from a completely harmless introduction by Ernie Dingo some years ago and people have latched onto it,” he said at the time.

“What about this, next time you go to a public event like the Grand Final or a football game or any public event in an auditorium and they trot out the Welcome to Country, start booing … or slow hand clapping.”

Newman wanted fans to boo or do a slow clap during the Welcome to Country at the 2023 Grand Final. Picture: YouTube/ Channel 9

Instead, fans quietly and respectfully listened while Uncle Colin Hunter Jr gave an upbeat Welcome to Country in front of about 90,000 fans at the MCG.

The reaction on social media was swift and intense

“Didn’t hear a single boo, which shows that people think Sam Newman is a lot more offensive than Welcome to Country,” wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter.

“Well that is how irrelevant Sam Newman is. Not one boo, but plenty of cheers for welcome to country. Back in your box Sam,” wrote another.

“Not a boo to be heard at the Welcome to Country and much applause afterwards.”

At the time, AFL boss Gillon McLachlan emphatically condemned Newman’s comments, while former Victorian Premier Dan Andrews said the Welcome to Country was not something to boo.

Originally published as Sam Newman addresses controversial act during Acknowledgement of Country at Australia Day event