Furious Aussies slam ABC’s ‘woke’ NY show

Aussies have been quick to slam the ABC’s coverage of New Year’s Eve celebrations as “divisive crap” and a “disappointment” just moments after the 9pm fireworks kicked off.

Sydney’s early family fireworks display was marked by a spectacular light show and projections of Indigenous fisherwoman Barangaroo across the Harbour Bridge.

The so-called Calling Country display was created by Indigenous group We Are Warriors and was a celebration of land, sea and sky.

However not everyone was impressed with the stunning display.

In particular, they took aim at the ABC’s Welcome to Country at the start of the program and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists opening the first fireworks show.

Posting to X (formerly Twitter), one woman wrote the coverage was a “disappointment”.

“Could we just have the fireworks without the lecture,” her post continued.

Libby Shaw – who describes herself as a “vlogger, writer & actor” – accused the City of Sydney and NSW government of turning the fireworks into a “political event”.

“It’s New Years Eve not a Labor Party meeting,” she wrote.

“These activists are just putting us off and damaging their cause.”

Another user wrote the fireworks had been “hijacked” by “the divisive activism of Aboriginals under the banner of a Welcome to Country”.

He ended the post with: “Seriously f**k off with this divisive CRAP.”

Others chided the national broadcaster for being late in covering the start of the 9pm fireworks and questioning why there was no cascade from the Harbour Bridge.

“We’ve just turned it off and turned into the Disneyland fireworks that are all inclusive and less aggressive,” another user wrote while calling the show “absolute garbage”.

But the majority of posts on X otherwise appeared to be praising the ABC’s coverage and the fireworks show.

Singer-songwriter Robbie Williams took to the stage later in the evening, ahead of the spectacular midnight fireworks show.

The celebrations have not been without their share of problems – after CBD revellers were warned tonight’s party could be thrown into chaos due to a strike earlier in the night.

Transport NSW released a statement reassuring customers that it was aware of the strike and that none of the associated delays will be major.

“The Sydney Trains team at the Rail Operations Centre will monitor any impacts to services and have plans in place to recovery any lost time as quickly as practicable to reduce impact on our passengers,” the spokesperson said.

The City of Sydney also issued multiple warnings after popular vantage points reached full capacity.

Of the five designated sites at the Gardens, Bennelong Lawn and Tarpeian Lawn both reached their 4,500 person capacity before midday while Mrs Macquaries Point, Fleet Steps, Lavender Bay Parklands, Broadfield Park, Campbells Cove and Mary Booth Reserves were reported as being full at 4.30pm.