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‘You know better’: Abbie Chatfield blasts Invasion Day party ‘excuse’

The popular influencer has not held back after her friend Elly Miles was seen at a party on Invasion Day, claiming she “should know better”.

Abbie Chatfield blasts Elly Miles over Invasion Day party

Abbie Chatfield has slammed at a high-profile “friend” who attended a party on Invasion Day, publicly condemning the move and stating: “You should know better.”

While the former Bachelor star hasn’t named her pal, details in Abbie’s post suggest she’s likely referring to Elly Miles who copped heat for attending a going away party on January 26 – a day of mourning for Indigenous Australians – just hours after posting an “always was, always will be” message on Instagram.

Abbie Chatfield appears to have unleashed on Bachelorette contestant Elly Miles over her celebrations on Invasion Day. Instagram/EllyMiles
Abbie Chatfield appears to have unleashed on Bachelorette contestant Elly Miles over her celebrations on Invasion Day. Instagram/EllyMiles

Elly, who appeared on the 2021 season of The Bachelorette, was quick to defend her antics, telling her followers she was “not celebrating Australia Day at all”.

“People are a bit worried that I’m at an Australia Day party, I just wanted to say I am not,” she wrote on Instagram Stories.

“I am at a friend’s house, we’ve got the kids in the pool. We’re hanging out for a friend’s going-away.

“I am all for abolishing the date, I respect that this is Aboriginal land.”

Elly had shared this post appearing to be an ally of the ‘change the date’ movement. Picture: Instagram/EllyMiles
Elly had shared this post appearing to be an ally of the ‘change the date’ movement. Picture: Instagram/EllyMiles
But was later defending sharing a snap that showed her at a party just hours later. Picture: Instagram/EllyMiles
But was later defending sharing a snap that showed her at a party just hours later. Picture: Instagram/EllyMiles

However, her words appear to have done little to convince Abbie of their sincerity, with the podcast and radio host taking to her own Instagram Stories to condemn the “excuse”.

“If I’ve unfollowed you today, you should know why. Even if we’re friends, it’s 2022, we aren’t doing this anymore and you should know better by now,” Abbie wrote.

“’But it’s not an Australia Day Party!!’ Isn’t an excuse. You’re having a party / enjoying your public holiday on a day of mourning for First Nations people.”

Abbie went on to say that posting an Instagram Story at 10am “doesn’t change your celebrations at midday”.

“Don’t reshare your bulls**t to try and absolve yourself of your true lack of care,” she wrote.

“If you’re going to do it, don’t lie to yourself.”

She finished by asking: “Why do you bother posting ‘change the date’ or more accurately, ‘abolish Australia Day” if you’re not going to come to the march?

“Do you really give a sh*t or nah?”

Abbie Chatfield blasted her ‘excuse’, writing ‘you should know better’. Picture: Instagram
Abbie Chatfield blasted her ‘excuse’, writing ‘you should know better’. Picture: Instagram

Abbie then called out the influencer community as a whole, saying she hadn’t seen any of them at the Sydney Invasion Day protest she attended Wednesday, before taking to a post on camera to take down anyone using a similar “excuse” to Elly’s.

“People saying, ‘It’s not an Australia Day party, I see no Australian flags anywhere. It’s just a party on Australia Day’, is the same as saying, ‘It isn’t a New Year’s Eve party, I see no sparklers or 2022 glasses anywhere. It’s just a party on New Year’s Eve,’” Abbie said.

“Do you see how that doesn’t really add up? You don’t have to have Australian flags flying and be speaking about your patriotism for it to be an Australia Day party. Just so you know.”

The podcast host revealed she had unfollowed a ‘friend’. Picture: Instagram/AbbieChatfield
The podcast host revealed she had unfollowed a ‘friend’. Picture: Instagram/AbbieChatfield
She condemned the antics on a day our mourning for Indigenous people. Picture: Instagram/AbbieChatfield
She condemned the antics on a day our mourning for Indigenous people. Picture: Instagram/AbbieChatfield

Elly was initially called out by influencer watchdog account Celeb Spellcheck on for “doing exactly what she apologised for last year” after she posted a now-deleted photo of herself enjoying a glass of champagne with a group of friends.

In 2021, the former Bachelorette told her followers she wouldn’t be celebrating on such a “traumatic and awful” date – then shared footage of herself downing shots at a boozy pool party just hours later.

The 2021 post attracted a lot of attention from followers, who called her out for sharing “very conflicting messages” on her social media accounts.

Elly and Abbie met on The Bachelor in 2019 when they were both competing for Matt Agnew’s heart. Elly went on to become The Bachelorette with her sister Becky the following year.

The Indigenous community has been calling for Australia to abolish its national day of celebration on January 26 for years as it marks the day horrific historical atrocities occurred against First Nations people, land and culture.

Continue the conversation @RebekahScanlan | rebekah.scanlan@news.com.au

Original URL: https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/you-know-better-abbie-chatfield-blasts-invasion-day-party-excuse/news-story/30972ddd84e64818eb556674f96a1832