Nationals senator Matt Canavan says Wiggles will ‘go broke’ for ‘going woke’

The Nationals senator has criticised the children’s music group for unveiling culturally diverse new characters.

The Wiggles’ expanded line-up.

The Wiggles will “go broke’’ for “going woke’’, Nationals senator Matthew Canavan says, after the children’s music group revealed culturally diverse new characters.

Four new Wiggles were announced on Sunday — three women and one man from different cultural backgrounds in a cast that already includes several non-binary characters.

The push was celebrated by founding blue Wiggle Anthony Field as a way to move the group into the 21st century.

But Senator Canavan suggested the move would harm the Wiggles’ brand.

“The Wiggles are free to do what they like. It was nice while it lasted. But you go woke, you go broke,” he said.

Children’s shows have regularly been a source of cultural controversy over the past two decades, with conservatives accusing programs like Play School and Teletubbies of pushing issues of gender and diversity to young audiences.

Matt Canavan. Picture: Gary Ramage

Three non-binary characters were already in The Wiggles lineup, including a police officer who is largely non-verbal, a unicorn who likes the sun and an emotional, shy hand puppet.

The new female Wiggles include Tsehay Hawkins, a 15-year-old originally from Ethiopia who will wear red. She has loved the group from a young age and is a world champion in Latin dancing.

Evie Ferris, 24, will wear blue, including blue ballet slippers. She is an Indigenous yoga teacher.

Kelly Hamilton, 45, will wear yellow alongside the first female Wiggle, Emma. She formerly danced with the group and will ride a skateboard.

Today we’re announcing our new YouTube exclusive, #FruitSaladTV! For the first time ever, #TheWiggles have expanded their line up to eight Wiggles, which is sure to double the fun! 💛💛💙💙❤❤💜💜

Fruit Salad TV premieres on our YouTube on Saturday September 4th! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/PS6kvUYjid

— The Wiggles (@TheWiggles) August 21, 2021

The only male joining the line-up is John Pearce from music group Justice Crew. He has Filipino heritage and a background in fitness.

Field said the new additions had been years in the making.

“I’d been thinking about it for the last couple of years and there’s no better time than now,” he told NCA NewsWire.

“Morally we have to do this ... I looked around the world and I thought we have to reflect our audience. Our audience is not just one culture. We want children to see a mirror of themselves.”