ABC reporter Bridget Brennan says ‘always was, always will be’ on air on Australia Day

Indigenous Affairs editor Bridget Brennan has used a news report to make a controversial political statement on Australia Day.

ABC Indigenous Affairs editor Bridget Brennan made a controversial political statement during a broadcast on Australia Day, saying Australia “always was and always will be Aboriginal land”.

Brennan, a Dja Dja Wurrung and Yorta Yorta woman, was being interviewed on ABC’s News Breakfast program by presenter Michael Rowland to discuss the Wugulora Ceremony at Barangaroo in Sydney being held on Australia Day.

Brennan is the Indigenous Affairs Editor at the ABC. Twitter

Brennan made the comments during an interview with Michael Rowland. https://twitter.com/bridgeyb

As she finished her interview, Brennan could not resist stepping into the Australia Day date controversy: “For First Nations people, for my people, this is a very important day to remember our ancestors and those who fought for many decades to improve the living standards for our people and remember that it always was and always will be Aboriginal land.”

The phrase “Always was, always will be” originated in 1980 and is considered an iconic statement within First Nations communities as a rallying cry of the Aboriginal land rights movement in Australia.

The phrase is often chanted at Invasion Day protests.

Later in the day in a live interview with Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council spokesman Nathan Moran, Brennan made another political statement saying: “It’s been a pretty rough year for our mob hasn’t it.” she said a reference to the resounding defeat of the Voice referendum.

The ABC has a statutory duty “to ensure that the gathering and presentation of news and information is impartial.”

An ABC spokesperson told news.com.au that the ABC “backs” Brennan “completely”.

“Bridget Brennan is a highly respected and outstanding journalist”.

The ABC backed Brennan as a reporter and an editor after the comments. Picture: ABC News

Antoinette Lattouf was recently sacked by the ABC for social media posts. Picture: Instagram

The ABC continues to face mounting pressure over its treatment of non-white staff.

Earlier this week the ABC’s head of news Justin Stevens pleaded with staff to “stay united” amid the recent controversies.

Stevens said in a 1400-word email that the ABC would be “holding listening sessions with culturally diverse staff in News” after Antoinette Lattouf exited her role following social media posts on the Israel-Gaza war.

She has taken the matter to the Fair Work Commission claiming she was unlawfully terminated after completing just three shifts filling in on ABC Sydney’s mornings program despite being scheduled to host five shows in late December.

Lattouf accused the ABC of “racism” and discriminating against people of Arab and Muslim background and described the ABC of being “unsafe” for people of colour.

“Even for non-diverse journalists, my sacking and the sacking of others has a chilling effect on journalism. People are now too scared to report without fear or favour,” Ms Lattouf said.

Ex-Q + A host Stan Grant also criticised the ABC after leaving last year accusing the broadcaster of failing diverse staff.

“I warned the head of news, Justin Stevens, that the ABC was a culturally hostile environment for First Nations and people of colour,” he said.

“But we hear all the talk of ‘care’ and ‘concern’ and no action.”