Sonia Kruger’s Logie win sparks backlash after divisive 2016 comments

Divisive comments Sonia Kruger made seven years ago have come back to haunt her after she took home the coveted Gold Logie last night.

Sonia Kruger’s Gold Logie win has sparked backlash online, with some viewers questioning why the TV star was awarded the top gong despite “vilifying” comments she made live on air in 2016.

Kruger, the host of multiple Channel 7 TV shows, took home the most prestigious award in Australian television in a star-studded ceremony on Sunday night.

The 57-year-old beat other popular presenters including last year’s winner Hamish Blake, Julia Morris, Leigh Sales, Mark Coles Smith, Osher Günsberg and Shaun Micallef.

But social media users were quick to raise controversial comments made by the host seven years ago.

Sonia Kruger hosts a number of shows on Channel 7. Picture: Getty Images

The remarks were made by Kruger on Channel 9’s Today show while part of a panel discussing the question: “Do more migrants increase the risk of terror attacks?”

In the segment, she referred to a column by Andrew Bolt following a terrorist attack in Nice, France.

The News Corp columnist had linked Muslims’ migration to France to the recent spate of terrorist attacks in the country.

“I think Andrew Bolt has a point here; that there is a correlation between the number of people who, you know, are Muslim in a country and the number of terrorist attacks,” she said on air.

What a truly dark day it is for television in Australia #Logies
Hopefully Sonia Kruger doesn't break out the racial gear.

— woebetidesus (@woebetidesus) July 30, 2023

“Now, I have a lot of very good friends who are Muslim, who are peace-loving, who are beautiful people, but there are fanatics.”

She continued that she would “like to see [immigration of Muslim people] stopped now for Australia. Because I want to feel safe, as all of our citizens do”.

The NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal initially ruled in 2019 her comments would likely have encouraged “hatred towards, or serious contempt for, Australian Muslims by ordinary members of the Australian population”.

However, the complaint was dismissed and Kruger was not found guilty of racial vilification because the Muslim community in Australia does not have “a common ethno-religious origin”.

‘Never forget’ comments

One person described Kruger’s win as a “truly dark day” for Australian television. “Hopefully Sonia Kruger doesn’t break out the racial gear.”

Kruger’s comments which ‘vilified’ Muslims were made on the Today Show in 2016.

Another wrote they would “never forget” Kruger’s comments about Muslims.

“How she continues to get work on Australian TV is the most disappointing thing about the industry.”

Another wrote starkly: “In 2019 (sic), Sonia Kruger declared she wanted to ban Muslim immigration because she was afraid. In 2023, she’s nominated for a Gold Logie. Thanks, Australian mainstream commercial TV.”

But some defended Kruger.

One person said while she didn’t agree with her comments they would “defend her right to say them”.

Kruger never apologised for the comments but did say she felt she should be able to express her opinions without being called a racist.

I will never forget what Sonia Kruger said about muslims. How she continues to get work on Australian TV is the most dissapointing thing about the industry. #TVWeekLogies

— Adam Rida (@AdamRida) July 30, 2023

‘I cannot believe that’

Kruger was overcome with emotion as she walked up to the stage to accept her award from Daryl Somers last night.

“I have to compose myself I cannot, I cannot believe that,” a visibly moved Kruger said.

“I have to compose myself, I am not used to being on TV Week. It is really … This is so weird. To have you present it Darryl, I have been so lucky I have worked with some absolute legends in the business and some great people and my fellow nominees.

“I want to thank all the people who work on Dancing With The Stars, all the people who work on The Voice, all the people who work on Big Brother.

“I want to thank God, aka James Warburton, who, he is a genius, my family, their names escape me. They know who they are. That is good. No, I am joking my mum, Deb, happy birthday for tomorrow. My brother, of course Craig and my daughter Maggie and if my dad was here he would just be so proud and this is really for him.”

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