Cinema Nova Drops An Inappropriate Australia Day Ad Thanks To Aboriginal Activist Meriki Onus
We spoke to Gunai Gunditjmara activist, Meriki Onus about getting the ad dropped.
Cinema Nova, Melbourne, dropped an Australia Day advertisement after Gunai Gunditjmara woman, Meriki Onus, informed them the ad was inappropriate for Mob. I reached out to Meriki to discuss the advertisement, Cinema Nova’s response, and the issues facing us as invasion day approaches.
This is how you do it, big props to @cinemanova #changethedate #invasionday pic.twitter.com/pTIXKNJflU
— sparrow (@little_sparrows) January 9, 2021
The advertisement Onus is referring to was developed in 2019 by the National Australia Day Council, and involved a series of testimonies from a diverse group of Australians asking people to “Reflect, Respect and Celebrate” Australia day as part of the same national story.
“You just go to the cinemas to switch off and I saw the ad and just didn’t appreciate it,” Onus told me over the phone. “I make a big effort to avoid Australia day propaganda.”
Contradicting false claims that Onus hates Australia, her tweet after seeing the ad read, “I love coming to your cinema to switch off. However, we were made uncomfortable by the Australia day ads that you have screening. This is highly inappropriate for Mob to have to pay to sit through. I hope you reconsider.”
Thanks @merikiko for raising this with us. Our pre-film adverts are prepared by a 3rd party and provided to us for screening and, given reduced in-office hours presently, may not have been vetted with our usual care. (1/2)
— Cinema Nova (@cinemanova) January 8, 2021
Cinema Nova responded in under an hour, apologizing and thanking Onus for raising the issue. They explained that the advertisement, which was created by a third party, was not vetted with their usual care. “We would never intentionally make our valued customers feel uncomfortable, so we will remove the associated propaganda from further sessions.”
Onus didn’t know what she was expecting when she tweeted Cinema Nova about the advertisement, just that she didn’t want to see it in a venue she supports. “They responded quickly and swiftly…A lot of venues are wising up around invasion day. It didn’t surprise me a lot.”
We would never intentionally make our valued customers feel uncomfortable, so we will remove the associated propaganda from further sessions. We hope to welcome you back soon. (2/2)
— Cinema Nova (@cinemanova) January 8, 2021
On the topic of the inevitable backlash, Onus says, “there are bigger issues at hand.” Onus is currently assisting with the organisation of Melbourne’s Invasion Day march. “It’s a more prominent event [Aboriginal peoples] are turning our minds to.”
“I encourage everyone to get down to and meet us on the steps of parliament at 11 am…We’ll be out talking about issues that really matter to our people. But I encourage all local businesses to look into forming a more meaningful relationship with local Blackfellas across the country.”
Sadly I can predict a months long campaign from the usual quarters haranguing Cinema Nova for not playing Australia Day ads. https://t.co/UDCaOgRIjR
— Osman Faruqi (@oz_f) January 9, 2021
Onus acknowledges her privilege when it comes to discomfort at the cinemas. “There are a lot of Blackfellas in this country that have far bigger issues. The issue of stolen land…Our people face genocide every day. We’re focusing on Invasion Day and we’re not gonna stop.”
Aboriginal peoples face numerous issues caused by European colonisation. Most recently, issues that have been in focus are the destruction of sacred sites, refusal to lower the age of criminality that leads to over-incarceration of Aboriginal children, and of course, deaths in custody.
Small wins like these are important and even uplifting. But its also important to keep an eye on and advocate for the bigger picture when it comes to the quite of Aboriginal peoples in this country.
Junkee also reached Cinema Nova for comment.
Merryana Salem is a proud Wonnarua and Lebanese–Australian critic, teacher, researcher and podcaster on most social media as @akajustmerry. If you want, check out her podcast, GayV Club where she gushes about LGBT rep in media with her best friend. Either way, she hopes you ate something nice today.