Collage by Maddison Connaughton
Cory Bernardi is fighting back against Triple J’s decision to move its annual Hottest 100 countdown the only way he knows how—by launching an Australian Conservatives-approved Spotify playlist exactly zero people will listen to. The submission box is currently open, should you have an overwhelming urge to flood the countdown with requests for Yothu Yindi’s “Treaty.”The Australian Conservatives claim their AC 100 will serve as an alternative for those equally outraged that Australia’s national youth broadcaster moved the Hottest 100 by a single day. Triple J moved the Hottest 100 from January 26 this year, after a majority of its listeners voted in favour of the change. The countdown will now run over the weekend of January 27 and 28.Bernardi claims the station’s decision leaves the official National Day of Australia high and dry: “As taxpayer-funded Triple J and their ‘Hottest 100’ abandon our national day for political correctness, we’re inviting you to cast your vote by telling us your favorite 3 tracks from our #AC100 playlist.”The Australian Conservatives were formed by Bernardi in 2017 following the results of the 2016 federal election as a hard right breakaway party from the apparently overly moderate Liberal Party of Australia under Malcolm Turnbull.Melbourne radio station Triple M recently made a similar announcement, launching its own “Ozzest 100” countdown on Australia Day. The move provoked backlash. Triple M had justified the decision by saying the “Hottest 100” was “usually full of hipsters or kids making music on a Mac.”Prominent Indigenous rapper Briggs responded by calling Triple M “redneck scum” and accused the station of pandering to “white nationalists and racists.” Even the station’s very own Wil Anderson tweeted: “Extremely shocked and disappointed by it all and have made that clear to management yesterday and will continue to hold and prosecute why I don’t think it’s a good idea.”Ironically, Bernardi's playlist includes tracks from marriage equality supporter Kylie Minogue, pro-refugee rock legend Jimmy Barnes, and Sia of “Fuck Tony Abbott” Twitter infamy.
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