A long-serving Australian senator has stunned social media users after posting an Anzac Day tribute video scored by a rap song that includes lyrics instructing girls to 'put that a** in the air'.
Controversial Tribute
Tasmanian Senator Helen Polley shared the clip on her Instagram account following her attendance at Anzac Day services on Saturday. The post featured a montage of images from the service, including servicemen laying wreaths, with fast cuts and a mash-up of background music. The audio combined the Australian national anthem with the 2006 rap song A** N Da Aurr by Chingy featuring Spiffy, whose lyrics include 'put your hands on the ground now put that a** in the air' and 'we pay to make you dance baby - get it girl'.
Public Reaction
The post remained online for two days and was shared by nearly 1,000 people before being taken down following media inquiries. Until that point, around 3pm on Monday, the Launceston-based Labor senator received wholly negative feedback. One user commented, 'What in the disrespect is this crap?' Another posted, 'From a former serving member please stop this.'
Senator's Response
Senator Polley's office issued a two-paragraph statement in response to media inquiries. 'Senator 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,' a spokesman said. '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.' The RSL has also been contacted for comment.
Social Media Presence
The 69-year-old, first elected in 2004, appears to have two Instagram accounts: a verified account and a second account. A more conventional Anzac Day post, soundtracked by The Last Post, was issued on her verified account without controversy. The rap post was made to her second account, but Senator Polley's office confirmed it was also associated with her. The same account has posted other montage videos, including one about a recent Labor state conference set to a screamed version of Eye of the Tiger by Leonardo Travensoli, and others showing a personal holiday to Europe and the senator struggling to pack a suitcase before heading to Canberra for a sitting week.
Previous Controversies
Senator Polley made headlines in February for employing her daughter and grandson in her office, defending the appointments as within parliamentary rules. 'It isn't easy finding people to work in these high-pressured, fast-paced positions,' she told The Mercury. In 2023, her social media briefly went viral for a cooking hack showing how to boil eggs in the microwave using foil.
