‘Don’t ask me to mourn the Queen’s death’: Indigenous television presenter hits out at critics

A Channel 10 newsreader has revealed the reason she is not mourning the Queen’s death and end of her 70-year reign.

Indigenous newsreader Narelda Jacobs has revealed she is not mourning the Queen’s death, as she called for an apology to First Nations people over Britain’s colonial history.

The Studio 10 morning show presenter said Aboriginal people should not be criticised for refusing to mourn the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

She said the monarchy was a “symbol of colonisation” and nothing had been done to “make up for that” during the Queen’s 70-year reign.

“There was a great wrong that was done,” Jacobs said.

“Australia was settled without the consent of First Nations people that were here.”

Narelda Jacobs spoke about the issue on Studio 10 on Monday.

Jacobs said her late father Cedric Jacobs, who was part of the Stolen Generations and a reverend of the Uniting Church in Australia, had met the Queen and Prince Philip four times, including to receive an MBE in 1981.

He was in the process of drafting a treaty between Indigenous Australians and the commonwealth at the time, but it was not raised during the meeting.

Jacobs questioned why the Queen did not say anything about the proposed treaty despite knowing about the “struggles” and the “trauma” from colonisation.

“They knew full well that plans for a treaty were afoot, as there were treaties in New Zealand and also in Canada. But what did they do? That’s the source of the frustration,” she said.

Despite admitting the monarchy was “above politics”, Jacobs said the royal family should recognise the past.

“While the world has united in grief over the Queen’s passing, colonised people have also united over their trauma,” she said.

Queen Elizabeth II reigned for 70 years. Picture: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

“Because we know that in British museums are stolen artefacts, stolen gems, diamonds.

“There are human remains that are sitting in British museums even now, and there has been no acknowledgment of that or apology for that.”

Jacobs also said the Voice referendum was the first step to making things right with Indigenous people before any talk of Australia becoming a republic.

She also defended the AFLW after it announced it would not observe one minute of silence to mark the Queen’s death during the remaining matches of its Indigenous round.

“Don’t attack them. Just go, ‘You must have really listened to be able to come up with that outcome’,” she said.

“Just have an open mind, that’s all.”

It remains to be seen what King Charles III will do. Picture: Daniel Leal/AFP

Jacobs shared the video of the lengthy segment on social media, explaining a photo of her father meeting the Queen in 1981 “sat pride of place in our family home” as a symbol of achievement.

“My dad had a great fondness for Queen Elizabeth. Reaction to her passing is complicated,” she wrote.

“The world is grieving for different reasons. Please don’t judge or dismiss anyone’s feelings of loss.”

Jacobs also re-posted an Instagram story from website Mamamia that read: “I am an Aboriginal woman. Don’t ask me to mourn the Queen’s death.”

Originally published as ‘Don’t ask me to mourn the Queen’s death’: Indigenous television presenter hits out at critics