Musician Suspended From Job In Premier’s Office Over Political Messages On Guitar

Dozens have rallied outside NSW Parliament in support of Gomeroi and Ngiyampaa musician Jayden Kitchener-Waters, who was suspended from his job in the Premier’s office after speaking out on censorship within the role.

The 25-year-old, who worked as a Community Engagement Officer with the NSW Aboriginal Languages Trust, had been scheduled to perform at the Premier’s Public Service Awards on November 17, and was in the green room at Parliament House when staff members told him the messaging on his guitar was “too political” and that they didn’t want to be seen “choosing sides”.

The messages on his guitar included the slogans “FREE GAZA”, “FUCK THE IDF” and “NO PRIDE IN GENOCIDE”. Kitchener-Waters offered to cover the swear words on his instrument, but staff members would only let him perform if he covered the messages entirely.

After posting a video about his experiences on Instagram, Kitchener-Waters was contacted by the Premier’s department, who said he had violated their code of conduct, requiring employees not to act “in a manner or make or endorse a comment that would cast doubt on their ability to act impartially, apolitically and professionally”.

After refusing the take the video down, Kitchener-Waters was suspended.

“Standing up for the rights of people that are brutally, brutally killed in this genocide,” he told City Hub earlier this month. “If that results in the termination of my employment, then I actively welcome and encourage it.”

Public servants “sick of getting silenced”

About 50 people gathered outside NSW Parliament on Thursday 27 November to show their support for Kitchener-Waters, including former and current public servants, who said the incident was representative of wider issues of censorship within the government.

The musician said that the support was reassuring, but that his message would still remain as strong without it.

“What’s important to note is all of the public servants that have reached out, both openly and private out of fear, but lots of messages from public servants that are feeling the same way and sick of getting silenced,” Kitchener-Waters said.

Greens upper house member and spokesperson for First Nations Justice & Heritage, Sue Higginson, questioned the Government about the matter in Parliament on Wednesday, asking whether it was the policy of the Premier’s department that the phrase “no pride in genocide” constituted taking sides, and if so, “what are the sides in support of genocide that the Premier’s department is afraid to offend?”

He has also garnered support from Victorian Senator and Gunnai, Gunditjmara and Djab Wurrung woman, Lidia Thorpe, who said on Instagram that Kitchner-Waters had “shown more courage this week than governments in this country have shown in their entire response to the genocide in Gaza.”

Throughout his suspension, Kitchener-Waters has refused to keep quiet, but has offered the Premier an easy resolution to the issue.

“As soon as he gets in front of a camera and says there’s a genocide in Gaza, I’m off his back,” he told City Hub. “But until then, every day, he’s going to keep getting more and more grey hairs from this little Blackfella.”

A spokesperson for the Premier’s Department said they were unable to comment on individual staffing matters.