Australia - Sky News Banned From Trains After Cottrell Interview (Video)

For anyone who thought that freedom of speech would only be attacked in the US (Infowars ban) or the UK (Tommy Robinson imprisonment), you can now add Australia to that list as the slapping of Sky News continues after they aired a controversial interview with nationalist Mr Blair Cottrell (of which any copy has now also been removed from Youtube).

You can still watch it here though: https://www.real.video/5819320347001

Furthermore, Victoria's Public Transport Minister, Ms Jacinta Allan, has now unilaterally decided to stop playing Sky News on television screens at any Melbourne train station over the 10-minute interview the 24-hour news channel aired this weekend.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Victoria&#39;s Public Transport Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/JacintaAllanMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JacintaAllanMP</a>: I must say I have received dozens of letters and emails of complaint from people who did not want Sky News on our metro train screens.<br><br>MORE: <a href="https://t.co/jTJuRZu8uk">https://t.co/jTJuRZu8uk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/newsday?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#newsday</a> <a href="https://t.co/QVEh5Dgfbd">pic.twitter.com/QVEh5Dgfbd</a></p>&mdash; Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1027390521423978496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Minister Allan made a statement: "I've directed Metro Trains to remove Sky News Australia from all CBD station screens. Hatred and racism have no place on our screens or in our community."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">I’ve directed <a href="https://twitter.com/metrotrains?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MetroTrains</a> to remove @skynewsaustralia from all CBD station screens. Hatred and racism have no place on our screens or in our community. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/springst?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#springst</a></p>&mdash; Jacinta Allan (@JacintaAllanMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/JacintaAllanMP/status/1027304171307843584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2018</a></blockquote>

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However, many were quick to point out that the interview never ran on Sky’s channel aired in the train stations, after which Ms Allan defended herself, claiming: “I must say I have received dozens of letters and emails of complaint from people who did not want Sky News on our metro train screens.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Andrew Bolt: This move banning Sky News from Victoria&#39;s train network is political censorship. Sky News is the only broadcaster to ban Blair Cottrell.<br><br>MORE: <a href="https://t.co/jTJuRZu8uk">https://t.co/jTJuRZu8uk</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/newsday?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#newsday</a> <a href="https://t.co/UR2D9N4Nep">pic.twitter.com/UR2D9N4Nep</a></p>&mdash; Sky News Australia (@SkyNewsAust) <a href="https://twitter.com/SkyNewsAust/status/1027380588200652800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Sky News Australia has since stated they regretted airing the controversial interview with Mr Cottrell after a heavy backlash from viewers and a targeted action on social media versus Sky’s sponsors.

Related coverage: <a href="https://thegoldwater.com/news/33301-Australia-Advertisers-Abandon-Sky-News-After-Controversial-Cottrell-Interview-Video">Advertisers abandon Sky after controversial Cottrell interview</a>.

Mr Cottrell, the former United Patriots Front leader had been invited onto the Adam Giles Show, which will now be stopped, for said studio interview where he discussed US President Donald Trump, the need for Australia to wind back immigration and protecting it against "foreign ideologies".

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Home Affairs Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterDutton_MP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PeterDutton_MP</a> has slammed the “absurd&quot; decision to ban Sky News from Victoria train stations<a href="https://t.co/rVqTgPZaOO">https://t.co/rVqTgPZaOO</a></p>&mdash; The Australian (@australian) <a href="https://twitter.com/australian/status/1027378415786237960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Australia’s home minister, Mr Peter Dutton, meanwhile slammed Victoria's Public Transport Minister, Ms Jacinta Allan, for her decision, saying it was “absurd.”

Source:

https://twitter.com/JacintaAllanMP/status/1027304171307843584