MEMBER for Bendigo Steve Gibbons won’t talk about his recent Twitter comments labelling Australia Day as “Invasion Day”.
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Mr Gibbons said it was “funny how we celebrate Invasion day by throwing bits of dead animals on a cooking fire just like the people we dispossessed” on Saturday.
He later tweeted that he didn’t have a problem with people celebrating the day, but that we should acknowledge our past.
He said he didn’t celebrate Australia Day.
But he refused to elaborate on his comments to the Bendigo Advertiser.
“I’ve left the tweets there for a reason,” he said.
“That’s all I’m going to say, I’m not going to comment on it.”
But Eaglehawk resident Charley Daniel, a former Liberal Party member, said the comments were insulting.
“I found it quite insulting for a federal member of parliament to be saying that,” she said.
“It’s not really embracing what is important to Australians.
“Australia Day has grown significantly in recent years with people from heaps of different communities coming together to celebrate the nation we love.
“The federal member seemed to disrespect that and has no regard for what I think is quite important to the community.”
Ms Daniel said arguing with people on the social media wasn’t a good look for Bendigo.
Liberal candidate for Bendigo Greg Bickley said he would leave judgement over the comments to the local residents.
Labor candidate for Bendigo Lisa Chesters said Australia Day was about celebration.
“Steve Gibbons is his own man, that’s what many people like about him,” she said.
“For me, Australia Day is about reflecting on who we are as a country and celebrating the day with family and friends in the community.
“Australia’s come a long way.
“It’s about all Australians getting together, first Australians, recently arrived Australians, and celebrating modern Australia.”
Mr Gibbons has run into trouble with Twitter comments several times after labelling Julie Bishop a narcissistic bimbo, Kevin Rudd a psychopath and Tony Abbott a gutless douchebag.