‘You go woke, you go broke’. Could this be The National Party’s new, 6-word slogan?
Matt Canavan no doubt thought he was mega clever for coming up with it this morning, when asked about The Wiggles’ decision to diversify its lineup.
The globally popular children’s ensemble, announced over the weekend that they’d be adding four new members to their existing group to better reflect Australian society for a YouTube exclusive, #FruitSaladTV.
New members will include, Tsehay Hawkins, 15, originally from Ethiopia who will don red, 24-year-old, Indigenous woman Evie Ferris, who will wear blue; Kelly Hamilton, 45, an Asian-Australian who will wear yellow; and 28-year-old John Pearce, who has Filipino heritage and will wear purple.
Blue Wiggle and one of the founding members of the original Wiggles, Anthony Field told NCA NewsWire he felt “morally, we have to do this”.
“I looked around the world and I thought: ‘We have to reflect our audience’. Our audience is not just one culture, we want children to see a mirror of themselves. I hope people, mums and dads as well, will feel included.”
Most Australians, I’m sure, would feel good about this decision.
As the parent of an 18-month old boy (who’s obsessed with the Wiggles), I certainly do. I’ve long wondered when The Wiggles would take the necessary step to be more inclusive and culturally representative– particularly given they originate from a country where one in four people of our 22 million population were born overseas.
But, apparently, Matt Canavan doesn’t like it one bit. It’s left a bitter taste in his mouth– unsurprising really for a politician who seems perpetually perturbed by progress.
“The Wiggles are free to do what they like. It was nice while it lasted. But you go woke, you go broke,” Canavan said.
He was swiftly shot down by countless Aussies across social media who mocked the Senator’s beef.
Despite Canavan’s grinch-like prediction, the risk of the Wiggles going “broke” is about as great as Canavan becoming a respectable and worthy member of Parliament. The group is one of the most successful in Australian entertainment history, with estimated earnings of $30 million annually.