“Lisa Wilkinson’s Disrespectful Joke on Indigenous Senator Jacinta Price’s Name”

Lisa Wilkinson criticized for joking about shadow Indigenous affairs minister Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s name

A recent audio recording of a lunch meeting between Lisa Wilkinson, Brittany Higgins, her partner David Sharaz, and Channel 10 producer Angus Llewellyn in January 2021 has caused controversy. During the meeting, Wilkinson was heard struggling to pronounce shadow Indigenous affairs minister Jacinta Nampijinpa Price’s name before comparing the Coalition preselecting an Indigenous candidate to a white family “hiring a black cleaner”.

Outrage over disrespectful comments

The comments from Wilkinson and her colleagues were deemed disrespectful by many. Price, a first-term NT Senator and Warlpiri/Celtic woman, is against the Voice to Parliament and changing the date of Australia Day from January 26. She accused Wilkinson of being disrespectful and ignorant. The comments were made during a five-hour lunch where Wilkinson and Sharaz spoke about politicians who could add weight to Higgins’ accusations and the perceived culture of misogyny within the Liberal Party. This controversy has further divided the country on issues of racism and misogyny.

Criticism for bias reporting

Wilkinson’s behavior during the lunch comes after she hosted an interview with Brittany Higgins where she aired explosive accusations of sexual assault on The Project in February 2021. Many now claim Wilkinson has hit back at her critics by blocking them online, effectively censoring their comments from her timeline.

Ethical implications

Wilkinson’s attitude in this incident has been heavily criticized by many prominent Australian figures. Sky News Australia contributor, Prue MacSween, has called out Wilkinson for having an apparent “bias agenda” and claimed that journalists are supposed to be objective and not driven by personal agendas.

Philosophical discussion

This incident raises deeper questions about how society responds to racism and misogyny, particularly when those two issues collide. Racism and misogyny are both matters that are taken seriously, but what happens when someone makes comments that are both racist and misogynistic, as in this case. It is evident that discrimination based on gender and ethnicity is unacceptable, and it is up to society to acknowledge and condemn such behavior whenever it occurs.

Editorial and advice

As a public figure, Lisa Wilkinson should be held accountable for her behavior. Her comments show unequal and disrespectful attitudes towards indigenous Australians. There must be more effort to respect and understand the unique challenges facing Indigenous people. This is a challenging time for Australia, with ongoing debates on racism, sexism, and the lack of equality in our society. It is essential that leaders in all sectors, not only politics, publicly condemn discrimination and recognize Australia’s diverse cultural landscape.