‘Hallelujah for commonsense': Sky News host Peta Credlin slams ‘woke' council over Acknowledgment to Country sacking
It was revealed on Thursday Melbourne street sweeper Shaun Turner had won his unfair dismissal case this week after he was dismissed by Darebin City Council in June.
Mr Turner said Acknowledgments to Country were "getting out of hand".
The street cleaner insisted if anyone should be thanked, it was the "people who have worn the uniform and fought for our country to keep us free".
In his evidence, Mr Turner requested for the "choice to step outside" during an Acknowledgment to Country, and expressed his acceptance that others may wish to participate in the custom.
"My job is to come to work to drive a street sweeper ... if you want to do a welcome to the meeting, fine, give people a choice to step outside," he said.
Mr Turner said in his testimony that he believed he had been "made out to be a racist".
Fair Work Commission deputy president Richard Clancy found the council misrepresented Mr Turner's comments.
On Thursday night, Sky News host Peta Credlin said Mr Turner's triumph over Darebin City Council was a 'rare win for commonsense' and questioned what kind of employer would 'insist' for every meeting to begin with an Acknowledgment to Country.
'What kind an employer would try then sack a staff member who dared to question the practise? The Derebin Council, that's who,' Credlin said.
She took aim at 'possibly the most woke council in Victoria' and praised Mr Turner for the gumption of 'taking them on' after being sacked for merely expressing his 'incredulity'.
Mr Clancy said the street cleaner and his team were caught by surprise at the Acknowledgment to Country and that Mr Turner's remarks, specifically his question, "are you joking?" was a reaction of genuine surprise.
Credlin agreed with Mr Turner that military personnel should be thanked, but added it should have 'never have come to this'.
'These acknowledgements have totally got out of hand,' she said.
'They're becoming a way of saying that the country belongs to some of us more than to all of us. And that's not right.'
Credlin invoked former prime minister Bob Hawke who said in Australia there was no 'hierarchy of descent'.
'There is not privilege of origin and we must keep it that way,' she said.
'Get this bloke a seat in parliament.'
Also heaping on the praise was Sky News host James McPherson who, on Thursday night, called Mr Turner an 'absolute legend'.
'Make the street sweeper the Lord Mayor. In fact, even better, make the street sweeper, the leader of the Liberal Party because Susan Ley ... started her Press Club address with a Welcome to Country saying we want to be in touch with modern Australia," he said.
"Well, this street sweeper, he is more in touch with modern Australia than the leader of the Liberal Party.'
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