Triple J's Hottest 100 date-change-saga rolls on, with Ollie Ward (content director at the youth broadcasting station) telling the Guardian Australia that New Year’s Day is a front runner as an alternative date. The station confirmed on Wednesday that the countdown would still take place on Australia Day in 2017 – but that it's possible that the date may change to January 1 in 2018. Ward also told the Guardian “There’s [been] a lot of comments about how we’re doing things for the minority – ‘Oh, you know, this is because of a small minority; think about us, the majority’ – but I think that sometimes the majority has to stand up for the minority.”
The date change has been a contentious issue both within and outside Triple J, with many saying holding the nation's biggest music poll party on a day that is painful for the Indigenous community is insensitive and unnecessary.
Triple J continues to be a firm supporter of AIME – a foundation which supports Indigenous students throughout their education – and explained that they will "continue to talk to Indigenous communities, artists and our audience about the date for the Hottest 100 in future years. In short: it's under review."
"We want the Hottest 100 to be an inclusive and respectful event for all Australians, including all the incredible Indigenous artists making great Australian music, and the listeners from all cultural backgrounds who love it," says the statement from Triple J. "As part of this commitment, we're proud to announce that we're once again teaming up with the Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience (AIME) for the 2016 Hottest 100."
Watch this space.