Warren Mundine praises Kerri-Anne Kennerley for talking about issues in indigenous communities

Indigenous Leader Warren Mundine has praised TV host Kerri-Anne Kennerley for opening up a much-needed discussion about social problems in remote Aboriginal communities.

• Real reason Yumi Stynes pulled out of Studio 10
• Jacinta Price: Yumi is wrong about Kerri-Anne

Indigenous Leader Warren Mundine has praised TV host Kerri-Anne Kennerley for opening up a much-needed discussion about social problems in remote Aboriginal communities, saying it was “stupid” to label her a racist for doing so.

Mr Mundine’s backing came left-wing protesters stepped up their attack on TV veteran Kennerley, who on Monday issued an on-air challenge to crowds who marched against Australia Day when it comes to health, crime and social problems in Outback communities.

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has defended Kerri-Anne Kennerley after she spoke up about social problems in Aboriginal communities. Picture: Jonathan Ng

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“I know exactly where Kennerley was coming from and many indigenous people are in the same boat,” Mr Mundine said.

“We are sick and tired of all this whingeing when we want to confront the real issues that are being dealt with in communities.”

Mr Mundine backs changing the date of Australia Day but said there are “more than a hundred” issues that are more pressing for indigenous communities.

“Suicide, jobs, economic development, getting kids to school, health stuff — it all comes well in front of changing the date.”

Kerri-Anne Kennerley voiced her views on Studio 10.

But Yumi Stynes wasn’t happy with what she said and challenged her views.

Kennerley was called “racist” by fellow panellist Yumi Stynes on Studio 10 after she called out Australia Day protesters, saying: “Has any single one of those people been out to the Outback, where children, babies, five-year-olds are being raped? Their mothers are being raped, their sisters are being raped. They get no education. What have you done?”

Stynes dodged Studio 10 on Tuesday, saying in an Instagram post she “urgently want to lie around and do nothing” but denying it was connected to Monday’s spat.

Alice Springs indigenous councillor Jacinta Price also praised Kennerley for “telling the truth”.

Councillor Jacinta Price has also praised KAK. Picture: AAP Image/ Michael Franchi

“The really dangerous racism is turning a blind eye to the facts of the matter, so that Aboriginal women, children, yes and even men, continue to suffer horrific lives,” Ms Price writes in Tuesday’s Telegraph.

Ms Kennerley’s position is also backed by statistics. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare lists indigenous women, young women and pregnant women as the most at risk of family, domestic and sexual violence.

Protesters outside the Channel 10 Studios following the TV stoush. Picture: Paulie Bover/Facebook

In 2014—15, indigenous women were 32 times as likely to be hospitalised due to family violence as non-indigenous women and up to 3.4 times as likely to be sexually assaulted as other Australians.

Kennerley said it was not racist to discuss indigenous issues.

“Having a view about wanting to fix rape is not talking in a superior tone or believing somebody else is inferior,” she told the Telegraph. “It is a fact of life. That is not racist.”