A federal Labor senator has deleted a social media video that mistakenly included audio of an explicit rap song over a carousel of photos of Anzac Day commemorations.
Incident Details
Senator Helen Polley, a former shadow minister and current chair of parliament's committee on law enforcement, posted a video compilation of images paying respect to Australia's defence forces. However, the post also featured the song "A$$ N Da Aurr" by American rapper Chingy. Guardian Australia understands that the rap song was mistakenly included in Polley's Instagram post.
This is the latest colourful social media contribution from the long-serving Tasmanian senator, whose online videos about cooking in her parliamentary office on a George Foreman grill have gained notoriety in the political arena.
Content of the Video
The images from last weekend's post included a marching band, people laying wreaths, and ex-serving members giving a speech at an Anzac Day ceremony at the Launceston cenotaph. Polley also included images of herself seated next to fellow Labor MP Jess Teesdale, holding large floral wreaths.
Polley has about 1,700 followers on her official political Instagram page and about 80 followers on a separate Instagram page also bearing her name and headshot. The clip in question was posted on the smaller page, which shares many of the same videos and posts as her main page.
Audio and Lyrics
The clip featured both an instrumental version of the Australian national anthem and audio of the Chingy song from the rapper's 2006 album Hoodstar. Lyrics in the clip included explicit lines such as "Move dat ass, all around put your hands in da air, now put ya hands on the ground, put your ass in da air."
Response and Deletion
Guardian Australia approached Polley's office and the office of the prime minister about the clip on Monday. Shortly afterward, the clip was deleted. A spokesperson said in a statement that Polley "has spent her life giving thanks to those who have served our nation – including her father who served in World War Two and was part of Tasmania's incredible 2/40th Infantry Battalion." They added that "the Senator has written and spoken at length about her father's bravery and how it has inspired her, and gave thanks again at Saturday's service in Launceston to all of our service men and women."
Public Reaction
Before the video was deleted, it attracted about a dozen comments. One person wrote, "Odd choice of music for an Anzac Day collection," while another said, "The music choice isn't good." A third comment read, "What the actual fuck with this music."
Background on Senator Polley
Polley has held her seat in the Tasmania Senate since first being elected in 2004. She has published a regular series of lighthearted videos about cooking on the Foreman grill in her office, which she jokingly talks to and refers to as "George." In 2024, she inadvertently sparked a minor political meme by accidentally referring to Labor colleague Dan Repacholi as "Mr Ravioli" during a committee hearing. Repacholi and Polley later posted a video of themselves eating ravioli together, joined by Polley's George Foreman grill.
