A Sky News Australia anchor has made an apology live on air after his line of inquiry during an interview with a teenage fishing champion was widely slammed.
News.com.au reports that Peter Stefanovic, who hosts the First Edition flagship news show, made his apology after he was criticised for interviewing Northern Territory fishing champion Keegan Payne, and asking him about the alleged theft of two vehicles more than three years before.
Critics said Stefanovic’s questioning of the 19-year-old fisherman tapped into stereotypes of Indigenous youth in the region.
Stefanovic made his apology Monday, telling viewers:
“An apology from me, last Wednesday we invited Keegan Payne onto our show to discuss his win in the Million Dollar Fish competition in the Northern Territory,” Stefanovic said during First Edition on Monday.
“During that interview I asked him about a theft that had occurred several years earlier. I should not have asked him about those claims and I regret doing so.
“I apologise sincerely to Keegan and his family.”
Sky News also apologised in a statement.
Last week, Payne bagged a AUS $1million (US$662.4k) prize for hooking a giant-sized barramundi fish, and was interviewed by Stefanovic. When he was asked about the alleged theft of the vehicles from his former employer Bob Cavanagh, Payne replied, “We weren’t thinking at the time.”
News.com reports that Cavanagh has revealed Payne has now offered to repay him for the damage to the cars. No charges were ever brought against the teenager.
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