“Disgusted”: Calls to sack Kochie after fiery debate with Pauline Hanson
<p>Australians all over the nation are fired up over <em>Sunrise</em> host David Koch for going hard on Pauline Hanson.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Since Monday morning’s episode, fury has continued to erupt, when the heated interview between Kochie and Hanson turned nasty.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.” </p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Public criticism has also streamed in from non-supporters of Senator Hanson and One Nation, lashing Channel 7’s morning breakfast show <em>Sunrise</em> for trying to take a “moral high ground” when the program has hosted her frequently in the past.</p>
<p>Sunrise executive producer Michael Pell confirmed to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.news.com.au/national/federal-election/sunrise-admits-paying-pauline-hanson-for-regular-appearances-in-lead-up-to-the-election/news-story/3509f5d399f9d49f8b7cddb9db329888" target="_blank"><em>News.com.au</em></a> that Senator Hanson was paid for her appearance on the morning show during the lead up to the 2016 federal election.</p>
<p>The network makes a small donation to charity for her appearances, reportedly.</p>
<p>Commentators took to social media to point out the hypocrisy of <em>Sunrise</em> lashing at Senator Hanson when they’ve allowed her a position on their show for a number of years.</p>
<p>“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.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr">@Kochie & <a href="https://twitter.com/sunriseon7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sunriseon7</a> 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? <a href="https://t.co/RQW8RsqPuK">https://t.co/RQW8RsqPuK</a></p>
— Sophie McNeill (@Sophiemcneill) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sophiemcneill/status/1107411466087358464?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2019</a></blockquote>
<p>“@kochie_online imagine being a bully and thinking it's okay,” another wrote.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Do you think Kochie was in the wrong? Let us know in the comments below.</p>
