Awkward moment Today Extra host admits Australia Day discussion error

Today host David Campbell has acknowledged that he may have chosen the wrong guests to discuss issues over Australia Day.

David Campbell, host of the morning television show Today Extra, has acknowledged that he may have chosen the wrong guests to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding the date of Australia Day.

Campbell, along with co-host Sylvia Jeffreys and journalists Tom Tilley and Jess Ridley, discussed the topic of January 26 and the proposed Indigenous Voice to Parliament on Friday morning.

However, Campbell began the segment by acknowledging that the panel was made up of four white people and that they would not be speaking for Indigenous people.

Despite this disclaimer, the guests proceeded to discuss the growing pressure from First Nations people to change the national day of celebration.

“I want to acknowledge the fact we are four white people talking about this so we’re not going to speak for the Indigenous people here,” Campbell said.

Footage of Invasion Day protests that took place across Australia on the previous day was also shown during the segment.

David Campbell, host of the morning television show Today Extra, has acknowledged that he may have chosen the wrong guests to discuss the ongoing controversy surrounding the date of Australia Day.

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine criticised the lack of diversity on the panel, stating that it was “a bit nutty” and that different viewpoints were needed in order to have a serious discussion on such an important topic.

“You need a mixture on a panel so you’re getting different viewpoints,” he said via the Daily Mail.

“David is right, it’s a bit odd. You can’t say you want a voice and put someone else on to try and channel someone else.”

This incident follows a similar gaffe made by the program Sunrise in 2018 when they were forced to apologise for a remark about the Stolen Generations.

This incident follows a similar gaffe made by the program Sunrise in 2018 when they were forced to apologise for a remark about the Stolen Generations.

Dramatic scenes erupted at Invasion Day rallies across the country, with Greens senator Lidia Thorpe declaring “they are stealing our babies”.

Thousands of Australians rallied in solidarity with First Nations people, marching under the scorching sun in a bid to get the government to change the date.

Protesters took to the streets with marches organised in every state and territory on Thursday as many chose not to mark the national holiday and protested January 26 as Australia’s national day of celebration.

Thorpe took to the stage as the heaving crowds of Melbourne’s CBD cheered her on under the scorching heat.

Ms Thorpe, who is an Indigenous woman and the star of Melbourne’s treaty movement, declared “this is a war” to rapturous cheers.

“A war that was declared on our people more than 200 years ago,” Senator Thorpe said in an extraordinary speech, in which she said black women were still being raped by “them”.

Loud shouts of “shame” met Ms Thorpe’s consecutive declarations, given with red-painted hands symbolising violence and in which she held a “war stick”.

“That war has never ended in our country against our people. They are still killing us. They are still stealing our babies. They are killing our men. They are still raping our women,” she yelled to the crowd.

“What do we have to celebrate in this country? Do we want to become an advisory body to the colonial system?

“We deserve better. We have to be rid of racism and heal this country and bring everyone together through a sovereign treaty.

“We deserve better than an advisory body. They could put 10 independent black states in the senate today. We want real power and we won’t settle for anything less.”

Speaking to NCA NewsWire after her speech, Senator Thorpe denied it was confirmation she would spearhead a Voice no-vote.

“I won’t be part of any campaign,” she said.