Australian Senator slams The Wiggles over new line-up

Founding blue Wiggle Anthony Field came up with the idea and said he felt 'morally, we have to do this'. Photo / Supplied

A controversial Coalition senator has launched an attack on children's entertainment group The Wiggles for adding four new racially diverse characters to its line-up.

Four new members will join the existing ensemble of Anthony, Simon, Emma and Lachy in a bid to make it more culturally inclusive.

Tsehay Hawkins, 15, is originally from Ethiopia and will wear red; Evie Ferris is a 24-year-old Indigenous woman who will wear blue; Kelly Hamilton, 45, is Asian-Australian and will wear yellow; and John Pearce, 28, of pop group Justice Crew, has Filipino heritage and will wear purple.

Founding blue Wiggle Anthony Field came up with the idea and told NCA NewsWire he felt "morally, we have to do this".

"I looked around the world and I thought: 'We have to reflect our audience'. Our audience is not just one culture, we want children to see a mirror of themselves. I hope people, mums and dads as well, will feel included."

The new characters will be part of a new YouTube series called Fruit Salad TV, which premieres next month.

Matt Canavan, a Nationals senator from Queensland, wasn't pleased with Sunday's announcement.

The outspoken conservative, who regularly rails against progressive social issues as well as climate change and environmentalism, told The Australian the new line-up would destroy The Wiggles.

"The Wiggles are free to do what they like. It was nice while it lasted. But you go woke, you go broke," Senator Canavan told the newspaper.

Senator Matt Canavan. Photo / Getty Images

Social media trolls echoed his sentiment, with several responding to the official announcement on Twitter with a range of "go woke, go broke" remarks.

Matt Canavan’s tactic of attracting attention by being an immense numpty is, to give him credit, an exquisite expression of his entire skillset.

— Jon “Fleet Of Airships” Kudelka (@jonkudelka) August 22, 2021

Petition to get the Wiggles to replace the big red car with an electric red car to see how mad Matt Canavan gets

— John Delmenico (@thebigjohnnyd) August 22, 2021

There are now 8 Wiggles which is 2 more than the number of first preference votes Matt Canavan got for the Senate. pic.twitter.com/QT9op3VhpT

— Seano (@SeanBradbery) August 22, 2021

There are now 8 Wiggles which is 2 more than the number of first preference votes Matt Canavan got for the Senate. pic.twitter.com/QT9op3VhpT

— Seano (@SeanBradbery) August 22, 2021

The Wiggles outfit is one of the most successful in Australian entertainment history, raking in an estimated A$30 million annually thanks to a loyal global following, lucrative television syndication, concert tours and merchandising.

Senator Canavan's latest contribution to the conversation surrounding current events comes a week after he was condemned for linking atrocities in Afghanistan to climate change.

"Does anyone know whether the Taliban will sign up to net zero?" he tweeted last Monday.

Countless figures attacked the dig, including fellow Nationals politician Darren Chester who said Senator Canavan was "offensive, disrespectful and totally lacking in any compassion".

He has also undermined efforts by governments to control the spread of Covid-19 by suggesting lockdowns aren't necessary and saying strict measures to save lives were "an unjustifiable expense".

Senator Canavan has also been critical of the Covid vaccine rollout, contradicting the Coalition's messaging.