Triple j will not move next Hottest 100 from Australia Day

Triple j will not be changing the date of their annual Australia Day Hottest 100, despite petitions to do so, out of respect for Indigenous people, who view January 26 as the day their land was invaded.

Source: #ChangeTheDate

In a media statement released on Tuesday triple j says they want the Hottest 100 to be an inclusive and respectful event for all Australians.

“As part of this commitment, triple j is proud to announce that we’re once again teaming up with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) for the Hottest 100. Every year millions of Australians get involved in the Hottest 100 at home and overseas. By working with AIME, triple j hopes to use this wide-reaching platform to create a meaningful connection between all communities, including Indigenous Australians.”

"Changing the date lets us answer questions that I don’t think we often get much time to really reflect on or address - Who are we, as a nation? What do we stand for? What date in our history best reflects those values and attributes?" 

triple j Content Director, Ollie Wards says the partnership with AIME is to empower Indigenous youth.

“The Hottest 100 is the biggest thing triple j does every year. We believe that together… we have a powerful opportunity and a responsibility to create a positive impact… we hope to raise money to empower Indigenous young people and also acknowledge and discuss all perspectives of 26 January.”

Recently there has been calls on social media and online for triple j to shift the music countdown, with the hashtag #ChangeTheDate being used on social media.

A petition launched by the Bar( r )ed Subjects Collective in Tasmania has called into question the correlation between the popularity of the Hottest 100 and the increasingly uncomfortable date of its broadcast. It’s since accrued more than 3,500 signatures in the past month.

“’Australia Day’ represents, for First Nations’ Peoples, a date commemorating the invasion of their countries and colonization of their ways of life, rather than a celebration of what it now means to be ‘Australian’.”

“By changing the date of the Hottest 100 Countdown, Triple J can send a message to First Nations’ Peoples that they, and their experiences, are valued and respected by other Australians.”

After the petition was launched, the City of Fremantle voted to end their fireworks show on the 26th of January from next year and instead, do something more culturally appropriate.

However, founder and CEO of AIME, Jack Manning-Bancroft, says it’s about shaping a better narrative for the future.

"Australia Day represents pain and mourning for many Australians, including our first Australians. It also represents immense pride for many Aussies, reflecting on how far we've come, the past has been written,” he said.

“What I love about triple j and the Hottest 100 is that we have a chance to speak to millions of Australians and provide a platform to shape a narrative for the future filled with colour, joy and love of our difference.”

The media statement also said “In 2017, triple j’s Hottest 100 will be on the 26 January. Future years are under review and we’ll continue to talk to Indigenous communities, artists and our audience about this.”

NITV News producer, Luke Pearson says changing the date provides Australia with an opportunity to explore what we as a nation stand for.

"Changing the date lets us answer questions that I don’t think we often get much time to really reflect on or address - Who are we, as a nation? What do we stand for? What date in our history best reflects those values and attributes?"