Transcript: Interview with Ben Fordham, 2GB - 24 January 2024

TRANSCRIPT

INTERVIEW WITH BEN FORDHAM, 2GB

24 January 2024

Subjects: Celebrating Australia Day, Cricket Australia’s arrangements for Australia Day

E&OE……………………………………

BEN FORDHAM: The boss of Cricket Australia, Nick Hockley, tied himself in knots yesterday during an interview on 2GB.

[Excerpt].

They're all over the shop, because they're trying to have a bet each way. They want a game on Australia Day because of the money they'll make, but they don't want to acknowledge our national day. Anne Ruston is the Shadow Minister for Sport, and she joins me on the line. Anne, good morning to you.

ANNE RUSTON: Good morning Ben.

FORDHAM: He can't make up his mind.

RUSTON: Well, obviously, like the majority of Australians, I'm a great supporter of Australia Day and I look forward to celebrating Australia Day on Friday, as I'm sure all the people that are turning up to the cricket will be looking forward to as well.

FORDHAM: They're now saying they will make some kind of ground announcement, but that'll be it, right? They'll say, today is January 26th, it's Australia Day, but it means different things to different people. So, they're not really going out of their way to celebrate the National Day.

RUSTON: You know, it's interesting in that I've been out in rural and regional South Australia all this week, I'm still out there now, and there's nobody out there talking about the importance of, you know, not celebrating Australia Day. I think everybody's looking really forward to Friday to celebrate it, because it's really tough out there at the moment. People can't pay their mortgages, they can't pay their electricity bills, and they just want a day when they can celebrate. So, I really do think that it's not just Cricket Australia, but the Prime Minister should be showing some leadership here. He should be out there, and talking about how important it is, about our great country, and we should be celebrating instead of indulging in this self-loathing that we seem to be going on with at the moment.

FORDHAM: Instead, Anthony Albanese says Australians need to stop looking for areas in which they can be outraged.

RUSTON: Well, I'm outraged at the fact that my Prime Minister is not showing leadership about a day that I think is really important for Australians to reflect on the pride that we have in the great country we live in. I mean, I don't think any of us would say that we don't live in the best country in the world. Why on earth wouldn't we celebrate that?

FORDHAM: Good on you for jumping on the line bright and early and have a good Australia Day on Friday.

RUSTON: Yeah, you too, and all your listeners as well.

ENDS