‘Go back to where you came from’: Warren Mundine ‘insulted’ by bizarre campaign comment

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has labelled comments by his Labor opponent to “go back to where he came from” as “extremely insulting”. Mr Mundine has fired back.

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Indigenous leader Warren Mundine has labelled comments by his Labor opponent to “go back to where he came from” as “extremely insulting”.

Mr Mundine, who is the Liberal candidate for Gilmore, said the comment by his Labor’s candidate Fiona Phillips “did traditional owners great dishonour and disrespect … by ordering one of them to leave their own country”.

When speaking to WIN News Illawarra on Monday Ms Phillips said Mr Mundine “is a phony and he needs to go back to where he came from”.

Liberal candidate Warren Mundine has been left insulted after a comment from a Labor opponent. Picture: Hollie Adams

Fiona Phillips said the comment she made was in regards to Mr Mundine moving from Sydney’s north shore. Picture: Hollie Adams

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Mr Mundine said he is a member of the Yuin Nation who are the “traditional owners of the land and sea within the Gilmore electorate”.

“My grandparents were born and married here. My people have lived on Yuin country for thousands of years. Like many Aboriginal people, my grandparents and parents often had to move away from their country for work and other reasons. I’ve had to do the same. I’ve lived in many places in my life, half of it in regional Australia. I now live in Bomaderry. All of that is irrelevant to my status as a member of the Yuin Nation.”

Mundine, pictured with his extended family, said he has lived all over the country.

Mr Mundine also pointed out that he was a member of the South Coast People native title claim group.

“No doubt Ms Phillips has given an acknowledgment of country before official events. I am one of those traditional owners. Fiona did traditional owners great dishonour and disrespect by ordering one of them to leave their own country.

“Finally, Gilmore is home to many people who were not born here or don’t have ancestors here. All are part of this community. I think the people of Gilmore would want more from the person seeking to represent them. No one deserves to be ordered to “go back to where they came from”.

Mr Mundine said his opponent’s comments were “extremely insulting”. Picture: Hollie Adams

In a statement provided to The Daily Telegraph, Ms Philips said the comments were about Mr Mundine moving to the electorate from Sydney’s north shore.

“This has nothing to do with land of the Yuin Nation. Australia is, and always has been First Nations land,” she said.

“Mundine has rolled into town straight from Sydney’s leafy north shore, on his big business funded bus of lies. Deceiving pensioners about fake plans to raise the pension.”

Mr Mundine grew up in the northern NSW before moving to Sydney. He now lives in Bomaderry which is in the Gilmore electorate.

Originally published as ‘Go back to where you came from’: Warren Mundine ‘insulted’ by bizarre campaign comment