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Australia Day ad called out for historical inaccuracy
Meat and Livestock Australia have once again caused a stir with a ‘Celebrate Australia’ campaign that’s been criticised for misrepresenting the country’s history.
The video aims to show the country’s diversity with the Indigenous Australians happily hosting a beach barbecue for those arriving from other countries. First come the French followed by the Germans, Chinese, Italians, Greeks, Serbians, Australia’s Pacific neigbours and finally ‘the boat people’.
However, rather than celebrating unity, it’s come under fire for ignoring the genocide of Aboriginal people.
Just a question about the lamb ad #Socialimpact #LambAd #InvasionDay #AustraliaDay #ChangetheDate pic.twitter.com/cjRDqJ0Tw3
— Nakkiah Lui (@nakkiahlui) January 13, 2017
An ad about lamb isn’t going to bring us together because you didn’t mention ‘that’ day.
— Ryan Griffen (@RyanJGriffen) January 12, 2017
It does, however, make a cheeky reference to last year’s campaign by the meat brand, when one of the Indigenous characters asks: “Should we crack a vegan joke?”
The campaign went viral and divided the country along the carnivorous line by torching an Australian’s apartment after he admitted to being a vegan.
