“We Gotta Bypass The Hatemongers”: Magda Szubanski Slams The Murdoch Press On ‘The Project’
"Australia, the USA and the UK all have the Murdoch press. And things are very polarised. What countries don't have Murdoch press? Canada and New Zealand. Make what you want of that."
Comedian, actor and all-round Australian icon Magda Szubanski has never been the kind of performer who likes to keep her political worldview and their career separate.
Szbubanski played a significant role in the political discourse during the marriage equality campaign, and she has long resisted social conservatism of any form. Over the years she’s thrown her weight behind LGBTQI+ focused charities like Twenty10, and as a teen spent many years working in women’s refuges.
There are days, more and more often, when I believe peace might be achievable. In these last weeks – in Palestine Israel & New Zealand – I have seen people breaking free from the cycle of violence & reaching out to one another & I feel deep beautiful hope https://t.co/sGv8yezc6q
— Magda Szubanski AO (@MagdaSzubanski) March 23, 2019
Now, in the wake of the Christchurch shooting, Szubanski has taken to The Project to decry the role that the Murdoch press plays in sewing division and injustice amongst Australians.
The comedian ostensibly appeared on the program as a spokesperson for Give Peace A Chance, an advocacy trip sponsored by ambassadors for both Israel and Palestine that sees a busload of “Catholics, Christians, gays, atheists, Muslims, Jews” travel through both countries in order to champion the universality of the human experience.
Hear @MagdaSzubanski's powerful message of peace, acceptance, and why the future of our world is up to us as a human race. #TheProjectTV pic.twitter.com/Mvlmr1BW9v
— The Project (@theprojecttv) March 31, 2019
But before long, conversation had turned from a generalised discussion about the need to overcome “grievance and blame and anger” and onto what Australians can do to overcome the artificial boundaries that divide them.
“We’ve lost faith in leadership,” the comedian said. “We cannot outsource leadership anymore. It’s up to us to actually make that change happen. And it’s by just connecting with people and not demonising.”
Provided with Jacinda Ardern’s leadership following Christchurch as an example of what that kind of unity can look like, Szubanski urged Australians to find a common ground.
Well done and well said Magda @MagdaSzubanski on @theprojecttv! Murdoch media has a lot to answer for in the UK, USA and here in Australia and more people in the media need to be speaking about this!
— Deb (@DebFOPA) March 31, 2019
“Could Jacinda Ardern exist in this country? … Australia, the USA and the UK all have the Murdoch press. And things are very polarised. What countries don’t have Murdoch press? Canada and New Zealand. Make what you want of that.
“We all have to take responsibility … I don’t care about politicians. I don’t care about the B.S. put in newspapers.
“We’ve gotta bypass the hatemongers,” Szubanski said in summation. “We’ve gotta take control of it.”