Australian Venue Co can shove their insincere Australia Day apology

Australians should think twice about spending their hard earned with businesses that hate them or their values.

Take your apology and shove it.

Foreign-owned hospitality giant, Australian Venue Co, decided to engage in divisive, race-based political activism by banning Australia Day festivities at its 200-plus venues across the country.

In doing so they told the great majority of Australians – who love the day and want it to remain on January 26 – that our national holiday is something to be ashamed of, something that is harmful and controversial.

Australia Day is nothing of the sort; it is a celebration of our country and what it means to be Australian.

Australian Venue Co chief executive Paul Waterson. Picture: David Caird

To have some Asian conglomerate lecture Australians about our national day takes a special brand of chutzpah.

It’s clear they learned nothing from the Voice referendum where a clear majority rejected the politics of racial division and grievance.

Now, the nation’s second-biggest pub group, owned by an Asian private equity firm, is sorry and backtracking faster than Lidia Thorpe after receiving a legal letter from Pauline Hanson.

“We apologise … It certainly wasn’t our intention to offend anyone,” an Australian Venue Co spokesperson said.

The nation’s second-biggest pub group owns the Duke of Wellington Hotel in Melbourne.

“We sincerely regret that – our purpose is to reinforce community in our venues, not divide it. It is not for us to tell anyone whether or how to celebrate Australia Day … Whether you choose to celebrate Australia Day or not, everyone is welcome in our pubs, always.”

No thanks.

There are plenty of other places to enjoy a drink or meal.

The apology appears insincere and comes only after the company’s political grandstanding caused an almighty backlash with threats of boycotts.

If you want to see an end to corporate virtue signalling then be mindful of where you spend your money.

It’s not “cancel culture’’ to expect corporations to be neutral and not engage in divisive political posturing.

Australians should think twice about spending their hard earned with businesses that hate them or their values.

We need corporates to stick to their knitting; prioritise shareholder value, take care of staff and deliver quality products and services for consumers.

That’s it.

Leave the politics to the politicians.