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Sunrise snub for Prue MacSween

Exclusive: Sunrise quietly drops Prue MacSween from appearances, in a telling sign it did not support controversial comments.

EXCLUSIVE: Social commentator Prue MacSween has not been booked on Sunrise since her comments surrounding the removal of Indigenous children triggered a backlash.

In a discussion on children’s minister David Gillespie proposing white families adopt at-risk Indigenous children, MacSween said, “Don’t worry about the people who decry and handwring and say, ‘This will be another Stolen Generation.’ Just like the first Stolen Generation, where a lot of children were taken because it was for their well-being, we need to do it again, perhaps.”

The segment triggered Live to Air protests at Martin Place and the Gold Coast demanding apologies and this week Alaskan rockers Portugal. The Man withdrew from a scheduled appearance.

A Seven spokesperson confirmed MacSween has been a regular on Sunrise for a decade, between 1 and 3 times a week. But she has not appeared since mid-March and Sunrise is not currently featuring her.

While Sunrise addressed the topic more comprehensively with community leaders the following week, MacSween’s quiet removal from Sunrise may be the strongest response yet that producers did not back her opinion. She still appears on Today Extra.

In 2010 the show apologised for her use of the word “retard” during a debate about education for children with special needs, acknowledging “We do believe it belongs to a different era.”

Media watchdog ACMA is also formally investigating the segment following “significant amount of community concern.”

15 Responses

  1. I think the tV networks are starting to realise that having strong opinionated women or men on with no actual knowledge of the subject at hand just their to stir the pot will no longer be tolerated by the viewer .enough with these nobodies who love getting outraged for the sake of it . the ratings of both breakfast shots reflects this both shows are performing badly in the ratings .

  2. @perplexed… i understand why you choose your nickname, struggling to understand the difference between a public listed, but for intense and purpose, a private company, and one tggat government has a control in running. Go you good thing

  3. She’ll appear on Bolt’s & The Outsiders on Sky News…and Price’s radio programme; that’s why they have said nothing…her comments are acceptable especially on that Outsiders programme where if you don’t agree with them you are a nut or a liar!

  4. Free speech is a right. However rights come with responsibilities. I think she doesn’t get that. All shades of politics share decades of failure with regard to indigenous folk and its not something that can easily be sensibly discussed in a 90 second segment on a brekky show. Sunrise needs to stick to fluffy stuff.

  5. Yes she is controversial but isn’t that the reason why they put the likes of Prue on. I am not really a fan of hers but think everyone is allowed an opinion. Hope she comes back.

  6. Chalk up another one for free speech. If this happened at the ABC Price, Bolt and company would be marching out the front with banners held high.

  7. Whilst her comment was the most offensive, the whole segment was a farce and the blame should not only sit on her shoulders.
    I’m sure she will be back on Sunrise one day.

  8. Prue is taken off-air and is never seen again. No fuss, no media announcement, no wide ranging apology from the GM, no Parliamentary inquiry, no threats to the Neworks finances or additional regulation, no Govt representative added to the Board, perhaps the ABC should change it’s name to Seven!

  9. Was it just because of her comments, or because very few viewers consider her to have any credibility or qualification to be a “social commentator”?

  10. I really don’t understand how she is even relevant and gets these platforms, apart from creating outrage and generating headlines. I don’t watch the morning “news” shows but the less airtime she gets the better. Good riddance.

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