ACA grills Ray Martin

In April when Ray Martin visited A Current Affair to reflect on the legacy of the late, great Barry Humphries he got a very warm welcome from host Ally Langdon.

“So nice to have you back in the ACA studio, ” she began, before wrapping with, “I tell you what Ray it’s been nice having you back in the studio… do you want to hang around and do the rest of the show?”

Last night the veteran journalist got a much frostier reception following his comments at a Yes campaign for the Voice to Parliament Referendum.

“It surprised many when Ray Martin, frustrated by the No campaign, started name-calling…. those with differing views felt disrespected,” she told viewers.

Even ACA‘s Facebook page refers to “Ray Martin’s Rude Rant.”

The “rant” were his comments about voting No without sufficient voter information on the Referendum question.

“If you don’t know vote No. What a stupid f***ing nonsensical slogan that is,” he said.

“If you don’t know, find out what you don’t know.

“What that asinine slogan is saying is, if you’re a dinosaur or a d***head who can’t be bothered reading, then vote No.”

Since then, Martin has attracted a barrage of headlines.

Last night, in the guest rather than anchor chair, he stood his ground.

“If you don’t know, find out what you don’t know,” he told Langdon.

“It’s such an important vote, please find out what it’s about and vote accordingly.”

At nearly 17 minutes the two ACA faces countered separate arguments, with Langdon saying name-calling prompted people to switch-off, becoming unreceptive to the Yes argument.

But Martin dismissed that by saying, “The reason you’re talking to me is we’re switched on. So maybe I did something which switched people on. Maybe I’m helping people to think about it.”

There was however some agreement on the point of flag-burning and threats.

“We’re better than this aren’t we?” asked Langdon.

“I agree,” Martin replied. “I think we are. And I think that’s a sign of the times.”

He added, “The comments I get are really savage, and I’m no longer in the frontline as you are, and other journalists are, on television especially.”