Olivia Newton-John ignites backlash with Australia Day video 'Love you but read the room!'

Grease actress Olivia Newton-John, 72, was all smiles for the camera as she shared a short video, in view of her 167,000 Twitter followers. She said: “G’Day everyone, this is Olivia and I just wanted to wish all of you Aussies all around the world a very, very Happy Australia Day.”

Captioning the clip, she wrote: “Happy Australia Day to all my Aussie friends and family around the world! #AustraliaDay2021 #Australia #Aussies #Australian.”

However, Olivia divided fans with her upload on the micro-blogging platform.

One user wrote: “Oh girl, I love you but read the room.”

A second commented: “Wake up Olivia! Aus has moved on and it’s not all candy-floss. A some sort of ‘ambassador’, it would be great if you addressed our First Nation’s problem with the date.”(sic)

READ MORE: Liz Hurley, 55, sparks frenzy with boob-baring snap in the snow

However, it also remains a source of pain for First Nations people.

To many Aboriginal Australians, it is a commemoration of a deep loss; a loss of their sovereign rights to their land, family and loss of the right to practice their culture.

Since 1938, Indigenous activists have protested against commemorating the arrival of the First Fleet in Sydney Harbour.

It’s been argued the arrival of British people eventually led to the dispossession of land.

For this group, January 26 is referred to as Invasion Day, Survival Day or Day of Mourning.

There has been a growing call to change the date to one that is more inclusive for all, but this is yet to be approved.

Olivia was born in Cambridge, United Kingdom and emigrated to Melbourne with her family aged six.

She attended the Christ Church Grammar School in the suburb of South Yarra.

The actress went on to become a regular on local Australian radio and television shows including HSV-7’s The Happy Shown before getting her big break in 1978 film Grease.

Olivia starred as the main character Sandy, opposite her love interest Danny Zuko (played by John Travolta).

source: express.co.uk