Nine has apologised for running in the Australian Financial Review a Voice NO vote advertisment labelled as racist.
The full-page cartoon style ad, from Advance Australia, depicts Wesfarmers chairman Michael Chaney with a pile of cash, his daughter federal MP Kate Chaney on his lap. "Radical activist" Thomas Mayo is shown holding his hands hands out.
The caption: “Don’t worry sweetheart, it’s just shareholders‘ money.”
Wesfarmers has donated $2 million to the YES campaign.
NSW Liberal PM Matt Kean called the ad a "racist trope".
"It's a throwback to the Jim Crow era of the Deep South. The No Campaign has every right to be heard but can do much better than this," he said.
A Nine Spokesperson: "The political advertisement about The Voice Referendum placed into today's Financial Review should not have run and we apologise for that.
"We want to encourage a mature debate from both sides and avoid personal and/or inappropriate attacks."
The Voice to Parliament, a proposed Australian federal advisory body to represent the views of Indigenous communities, will be the subject of a referendum later this year.
Have something to say on this? Share your views in the comments section below. Or if you have a news story or tip-off, drop us a line at adnews@yaffa.com.au
Sign up to the AdNews newsletter, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for breaking stories and campaigns throughout the day.