Thanks for logging in.

You can now click/tap WATCH to start the live stream.

Thanks for logging in.

You can now click/tap LISTEN to start the live stream.

Thanks for logging in.

You can now click/tap LATEST NEWS to start the live stream.

LISTEN
Watch
on air now

Create a 3AW account today!

You can now log in once to listen live, watch live, join competitions, enjoy exclusive 3AW content and other benefits.


Joining is free and easy.

You will soon need to register to keep streaming 3AW online. Register an account or skip for now to do it later.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Black Saturday survivor slams Invasion Day speaker who said she hopes Australia “burns to the ground”

Tom Elliott
Article image for Black Saturday survivor slams Invasion Day speaker who said she hopes Australia “burns to the ground”

Photo: Ten News

A Kinglake resident who survived the Black Saturday bushfires has called on a controversial Invasion Day speaker to publicly apologise for her “hateful” comments.

Vicki Ruhr said the comments made by Tarneen Onus-Williams (above) on Australia Day created “an unwanted degree of upset and stress” for herself and her local community.

“F*** Australia, hope it f***ing burns to the ground,” Ms Onus-Williams said on Friday.

Vicki, too upset to speak on air, sent Neil Mitchell the below statement.

On behalf of all those impacted by the 2009 Victorian Black Saturday Bushfires Disaster, both survivors and the souls with no voices that are no longer with us, I hereby & formally call upon Ms Tarneen Onus-Williams, who introduced speakers during the rally at the steps of Victorian Parliament on Friday, 26 January 2018, to publicly apologize for her highly insensitive and reprehensible comments – forthwith.

Neil said it was time the Council distanced itself from Ms Onus-Williams.

“There’s an argument that the Koori Youth Council should get more funding not less,” he said.

“But the council needs to dump urgently, one of its board members, Tarneen Onus-Williams.

“She is interested in abuse, division and aggression, not reconciliation.

“It’s not what Australians, black or white, need.”

Click PLAY below to hear the details

Tom Elliott
Advertisement