Nathan Burke blasted for branding of people from Melbourne
AFL legend Nathan Burke has copped a fair bit of criticism after he called a part of Melbourne 'the great unwashed.'
Burke was speaking of his journey into the MCG on ABC as Richmond took on North Melbourne on Sunday.
And it seemed that the former St Kilda man was less than happy with the company he had on his commute.
During the broadcast he joked about those who were on the train with him, but he wasn't going to be allowed to get away with his barb at the people of Frankston.
Listeners were quick to fire back at the 56-year-old, with many of the responses read out by his co-hosts.
For the most part, all of the back and forth between Burke and the listeners was in good nature.
Burkey vs the Frankston line 🚆📳
— ABC SPORT (@abcsport) June 22, 2026
The texts were coming in hot after the astute citizens of Frankston copped a hit from Nathan Burke as "the great unwashed"! 😂
Hear every AFL game live and ad-free on ABC listen: https://t.co/kOx43L4GXr #AFL #AFLTigersNorth pic.twitter.com/6SczvWYbbX
Nathan Burke has copped a fair bit of good natured stick for calling the people on the Frankston line the 'great unwashed'
Despite his barb at the train line, Burke did go on to say he was born and raised in Frankston and does actually love the place
'Alright, so soothing on the train on the Frankston line,' Joel Peterson started.
That provided the perfect set up for Burke to take his swipe at Frankston, 'Just calming, travelling in with the great unwashed, I just calmed myself down,' he said.
That drew a round of uncomfortable laughter as Peterson responded, 'Jeepers' while Lauren Bordin could be seen with her face in her hands as she turned away from the cameras.
'Here we were thinking you were levelling with the good people of the Frankston line, and you've just gone and clipped them,' Peterson responded.
'I can already see the complaints coming through,' Bordin added.
But none of that stopped Burke as he continued, 'I am one of them, I am right in the middle,' he said.
Marc Murphy who was also in the commentary booth told his co-hosts he would be watching the computer and told listeners to send their texts in.
It didn't take long for Burke to cop it from those on the Frankston line as the texts came flooding in.
But before they could be read out, the former Western Bulldogs coach showed no fear saying, 'I will see them on the way home.'
'Nathan quickly eroding his man of the people tag. Residents of Moe-by-the-Sea not impressed, and I can say that being a Moe boy by birth,' one listener wrote in.
Burkey was then given a chance to rebut, 'What's Moe got to do with the Frankston line,' he asked, as he was told that Moe-by-the-Sea is Frankston.
And he eventually relented, saying, 'Frankston is a wonderful spot. I grew up in Frankston, love it.
'I coached local football down there, still do.'
And there was still time for one more response as someone wrote in that their husband rides the Frankston line and has all his teeth, so they are unsure the Frankston line is the 'great unwashed.'
Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
