CANBERRA, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has on Friday slammed controversial Indigenous boxer Anthony Mundine's idea for Australians to boycott the national anthem at this weekend's football finals as "divisive."
Australia's National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (AFL) are both set to host grand finals this weekend, but following the lead of African-American football players in the United States, Mundine, a former rugby league star before he took up boxing, has urged Australians to "stand up" and boycott the national anthem which is played before the matches.
In a post on social media, Mundine said: "The anthem was written in late 1700s where 'blackfellus' were considered fauna (animals)."
"All players aboriginal and non aboriginal should boycott the anthem and start changing Australia's ignorant mentality."
On Friday, the prime minister slammed Mundine's call as "divisive" and said both the NRL and the AFL have worked tirelessly to celebrate and include Indigenous Australians.
"Both codes, AFL and NRL, work hard to be inclusive and embrace modern Australia and all of its diversity and this is a time when we all come together," Turnbull told 3AW radio on Friday.
Mundine's call follows that of former NRL players Larry Corowa and Joe Williams, who publicly asked indigenous players not stand for the anthem during Sunday's grand final.
"Imagine if a couple of guys did it on grand final day - what a powerful message it would send to white Australia," Williams told Rugby League Week.
The AFL Grand Final will take place in Melbourne on Saturday afternoon, while the NFL Grand Final is set for Sunday evening.
