Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Is the ABC’s obsession with calling virtually every Aboriginal person “proud” genuine respect, or performative taxpayer-funded virtue signalling? When forced framing replaces real journalism, it just comes across as patronising.
Today’s Friday Focus is titled: “Indigenous People Are Prouder Than You”—well, at least according to our national broadcaster.
As we all know, when anyone commits a crime, it isn’t a source of pride—and that’s reflected in the ABC’s coverage. Their recent report on the domestic murder of a 17-year-old Aboriginal girl in East Arnhem Land, where 34-year-old Jordan Garrawurra has been charged with her murder, carries no such framing. Just to be clear, the man pictured in the article is the local Council President, not the accused.
But when there’s no crime involved, as anyone who regularly watches the ABC can attest, suddenly Aboriginal Australians are proclaimed to be one of the proudest peoples on the planet.
A recent article titled “‘Bad Smoke’ protest song stands up to tobacco industry” takes this trend to the extreme. The piece notes that “smoking is the most preventable cause of death for First Nations people.” It’s a nice little story about a group getting together to write a song encouraging Indigenous Australians to quit smoking and vaping. For instance, ARIA-award-winning rapper Nooky “wants to see tobacco gone from Indigenous communities.”
The article even notes that “before colonisation, there was no bad smoke”—because as we all know, inhaling woodfire smoke, traditional smoking ceremonies, and pre-1788 life only brought good health and a thriving 80-year life expectancy.
Nooky wanting to see tobacco gone from Indigenous communities is all well and good, but we live in a free and open society. If adults choose to smoke, drink, or gamble, they are permitted to do so—that’s the price of personal freedom. Smoking obviously isn’t good for them, but where does that logic end? Should we ban Indigenous people from smoking? Activists would rightly label that paternalistic and discriminatory.
Anyway, that’s not the main point. The point is the sheer frequency with which the word “proud” appears throughout the piece—it’s almost as if the ABC’s keyboard got stuck. Consider these excerpts:
• “Sara Sinclair and her mother, Michelle Sinclair, who are both proud Gumbaynggirr women and health workers…”
• “‘I felt so bad that I couldn’t go to him directly,’ the proud Gumbaynggirr woman reflects…”
• “Sky Thomas is a proud Wiradjuri, Gunnai/Kurnai & Yorta Yorta woman…”
• “Corey Webster is a proud Yuin and Thungutti man, and the ARIA-winning rapper Nooky…”
• “Sara workshopped lyrics, sang and helped record the music video and now is ‘so proud’ the song has been nominated for Best New Talent…”
• “‘I quit multiple times,’ the proud Kamilaroi woman explains…”
• “Remy Morris alongside other proud health workers…”
Every Aboriginal person featured is immensely proud—at least in the ABC’s worldview.
But why does the broadcaster do this? What is the purpose of labelling virtually every Aboriginal person as “proud”? Does it offer any genuine benefit? I would argue, no. When readers see it repeated so compulsively, it just comes across as forced and patronising. More to the point, does this formulaic language actually help Aboriginal people, or is it merely performative taxpayer-funded editorial virtue signalling?
MUSIC
Allégro by Emmit Fenn
Is the ABC’s obsession with calling virtually every Aboriginal person “proud” genuine respect, or performative taxpayer-funded virtue signalling? When forced framing replaces real journalism, it just comes across as patronising.
Today’s Friday Focus is titled: “Indigenous People Are Prouder Than You”—well, at least according to our national broadcaster.
As we all know, when anyone commits a crime, it isn’t a source of pride—and that’s reflected in the ABC’s coverage. Their recent report on the domestic murder of a 17-year-old Aboriginal girl in East Arnhem Land, where 34-year-old Jordan Garrawurra has been charged with her murder, carries no such framing. Just to be clear, the man pictured in the article is the local Council President, not the accused.
But when there’s no crime involved, as anyone who regularly watches the ABC can attest, suddenly Aboriginal Australians are proclaimed to be one of the proudest peoples on the planet.
A recent article titled “‘Bad Smoke’ protest song stands up to tobacco industry” takes this trend to the extreme. The piece notes that “smoking is the most preventable cause of death for First Nations people.” It’s a nice little story about a group getting together to write a song encouraging Indigenous Australians to quit smoking and vaping. For instance, ARIA-award-winning rapper Nooky “wants to see tobacco gone from Indigenous communities.”
The article even notes that “before colonisation, there was no bad smoke”—because as we all know, inhaling woodfire smoke, traditional smoking ceremonies, and pre-1788 life only brought good health and a thriving 80-year life expectancy.
Nooky wanting to see tobacco gone from Indigenous communities is all well and good, but we live in a free and open society. If adults choose to smoke, drink, or gamble, they are permitted to do so—that’s the price of personal freedom. Smoking obviously isn’t good for them, but where does that logic end? Should we ban Indigenous people from smoking? Activists would rightly label that paternalistic and discriminatory.
Anyway, that’s not the main point. The point is the sheer frequency with which the word “proud” appears throughout the piece—it’s almost as if the ABC’s keyboard got stuck. Consider these excerpts:
• “Sara Sinclair and her mother, Michelle Sinclair, who are both proud Gumbaynggirr women and health workers…”
• “‘I felt so bad that I couldn’t go to him directly,’ the proud Gumbaynggirr woman reflects…”
• “Sky Thomas is a proud Wiradjuri, Gunnai/Kurnai & Yorta Yorta woman…”
• “Corey Webster is a proud Yuin and Thungutti man, and the ARIA-winning rapper Nooky…”
• “Sara workshopped lyrics, sang and helped record the music video and now is ‘so proud’ the song has been nominated for Best New Talent…”
• “‘I quit multiple times,’ the proud Kamilaroi woman explains…”
• “Remy Morris alongside other proud health workers…”
Every Aboriginal person featured is immensely proud—at least in the ABC’s worldview.
But why does the broadcaster do this? What is the purpose of labelling virtually every Aboriginal person as “proud”? Does it offer any genuine benefit? I would argue, no. When readers see it repeated so compulsively, it just comes across as forced and patronising. More to the point, does this formulaic language actually help Aboriginal people, or is it merely performative taxpayer-funded editorial virtue signalling?
MUSIC
Allégro by Emmit Fenn
