- Australian Open men’s singles final will collide with Australia Day
- Tournament criticised in the past for attitude to national day
A top radio star has predicted Melbourne will become an ‘international embarrassment’ on January 26 due to anti-Australia Day protests being staged on the final day of the Australian Open.
Sunday will see the grand slam’s showpiece event, the men’s singles final, fall on Australia Day, which has become the subject of controversy and division in recent years.
News Corp has reported that shopkeepers in the Melbourne CBD are expecting 30,000 protesters to hit the city despite warnings from the Victorian Premier to stay away, and they won’t just be Change the Date activists.
The Victorian Chapter of Warriors of Aboriginal Resistance has organised a march from Parliament House to Federation Square.
Pro-Palestine protesters from the group Disrupt Wars are also expected to march on Sunday.
The ABC has reported that Victorian Police said they are aware of a separate, smaller planned protest near the Australian Open, understood to be organised by a far-right group.
Australian television presenter and radio host Jacqui Felgate told her 3AW listeners that the mass protests will wreck one of the greatest days on the domestic sporting calendar – with the eyes of the world watching.
‘The Australia Day protests, what an utter embarrassment, a global embarrassment,’ she said.
‘To have these feral groups of protestors targeting the tennis on the final day.
‘We are so lucky to have the Australian Open here. It is one of the jewels in our sporting crown.
‘Can you imagine if we had tens of thousands of people rallying outside Melbourne Park on Australia Day?
‘The eyes of the sporting world are on Rod Laver Arena. Just think, to have 30,000 people protesting about Australia Day and pro-Palestine activists and whatever else it is that they’re angry about.
‘It is time for the minority to stop shaming the majority.’
Felgate said she is actually in favour of changing the date of Australia Day, but wanted to see a different approach from activists rather than targeting the Australian Open.
‘For people like me, I actually think Australia Day, the date should be moved. For me, it is a date of no significance and it is obviously very traumatic for some people,’ she said.
‘Move the date, fine. But holding the city to ransom is not the way to do it.
‘You think about the families and the business people and the tourists that are having a nice day in our city, the best time of the year for businesses that have tried to keep going in tough economic times.
‘People stay away because of protestors.
‘We should be proud of our city. We used to be. Now it has this reputation as the protest capital of the world.’
Felgate also called for a permit system to be adopted by the Victorian State Government, like the current system used in New South Wales.
‘And you know what else? I am sick to death of talking about the permit system, and the government, and the opposition’s reluctance to introduce one,’ she said.
‘They do it [a permit system for protests] in Sydney and it works. We know this. We know the pro-Palestine protesters negotiated with the state government out there when they were going to have a protest outside of a synagogue – and they moved it.
‘So why not? Brad Battin, the opposition leader, will come on the show shortly and I think it is a really good opportunity for the opposition to draw a line in the sand here.
‘Say what do we stand for in this city? Because we have spent far too long having this debate.’
Victorian Police will be present in large numbers on Australia Day.
‘Victoria Police has been extensively planning for Australia Day and the associated community events and rallies,’ a spokesperson said in a statement.
‘We’re well prepared for all major events and will have a highly visible presence throughout the entire CBD to ensure they can occur safely.
‘General duties police will be supported by the Mounted Branch, Highway Patrol, Bike Patrol Unit, Public Order Response Team, Transit police and PSOs throughout the day and night.
‘There will be a number of traffic management points in place across the city so we ask that people be patient, plan their journey and allow extra travel time.’
