“Disgusted”: Calls to sack Kochie after fiery debate with Pauline Hanson
Australians all over the nation are fired up over Sunrise host David Koch for going hard on Pauline Hanson.
The morning host has received a series of critiques online for lashing out at the One Nation leader, noting the program has given the politician a platform for many years.
Since Monday morning’s episode, fury has continued to erupt, when the heated interview between Kochie and Hanson turned nasty.
Viewers are pinning Kochie as a “bully” and demanding he be sacked for labelling the controversial leader “cowardly” after she told the program she would abstain from a vote to censure Senator Fraser Anning over his offensive comments about the Christchurch terrorist attack.
Senator Hanson went further by rejecting that her comments about Muslims in Australia “empowered” white supremacists like the one accused of carrying out the New Zealand shooting.
Kochie told Hanson that the 28-year-old shooter’s manifesto which was sent to New Zealand’s Prime Minister Jacinda Arden before the attack was carried out “reads like a One Nation immigration and Muslim policy.”
Viewers however did not jump to Kochie’s side, as fury erupted over his harsh interview style, calling him a “bully” and are now pushing for him to be sacked.
Public criticism has also streamed in from non-supporters of Senator Hanson and One Nation, lashing Channel 7’s morning breakfast show Sunrise for trying to take a “moral high ground” when the program has hosted her frequently in the past.
Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell confirmed to News.com.au that Senator Hanson was paid for her appearance on the morning show during the lead up to the 2016 federal election.
The network makes a small donation to charity for her appearances, reportedly.
Commentators took to social media to point out the hypocrisy of Sunrise lashing at Senator Hanson when they’ve allowed her a position on their show for a number of years.
“Do you feel complicit, given that your program and network have given her a platform for so long - and even paid her to do so?” ex-senator Andrew Bartlett asked the morning breakfast show.
@Kochie & @sunriseon7 are the ones who gave her this platform for many years - so if now Koshie feels it is appropriate to ask this question, is he also going to himself & his producers the same thing? https://t.co/RQW8RsqPuK
— Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) March 17, 2019
“@kochie_online imagine being a bully and thinking it's okay,” another wrote.
A petition demanding Kochie to be fired from his hosting position on the morning breakfast show reached over 50,000 signatures in a day, only aiming to hit 1000 to show that they had “had enough” of him.
Do you think Kochie was in the wrong? Let us know in the comments below.