Samantha Armytage makes a dramatic intervention in Australia Day debate and announces she will proudly be decorating her home with flags: ‘Best country in the world’

Samantha Armytage has weighed in on the controversial debate surrounding Australia Day celebrations, saying she will proudly recognise January 26.

The Channel Seven star, 47, revealed on Wednesday she is decorating her home with Australian flags.

Taking to Instagram, the Farmer Wants a Wife host shared an image of ten flags placed in a silver cup on a coffee table in her home.

The former Sunrise host wrote alongside the picture: ‘Best country in the world.’

In recent years, the weeks before Australia Day have been fraught with debate about whether its is wrong to celebrate the date the First Fleet arrived to colonise Australia in 1788.

Samantha Armytage has weighed in on the controversial debate around Australia Day celebrations, saying she will proudly be recognising the day 

Indigenous activists say the date should be changed.

Armytage has been an avid supporter of Australia Day on January 26, according to her social media posts and past comments from her days hosting Sunrise.

In 2017, she went head-to-head with a Melbourne suburban mayor who said those who oppose her council’s decision to ditch Australia Day celebrations were ‘uneducated’.

Armytage confronted Mayor Kim Le Cerf in a heated interview, persistently pressing the community leader about the tiny survey the council based its decision on, and her claim that if ‘more Australians were educated, they would be ashamed of Australia Day’.

‘Aren’t you elected to make a decision on behalf of the people of your shire?’ Armytage said, cutting Ms Le Cerf off mid-sentence.

The Channel Seven star, 47, announced on Wednesday she is decorating her home with Australian flags 

‘In the best interest of our community yes, and what we are hearing from our Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people is that January 26 marks the beginning of invasion and dispossession,’ Ms Le Cerf said.

After a back and forth debate, Armytage confronted Ms Le Cerf about her comments on uneducated Australians.

‘Correct me if I’m wrong, but you are quoted as saying that if “more Australians were educated, they would be ashamed of Australia Day”. Do you stand by that? Do you stand by that now, on national television?’ Armytage asked.

Ms Le Cerf began to speak when she was cut off by Armytage, who asked her point blank if she stood by her comment.

Armytage has been an avid supporter of Australia Day on January 26, according to her social media posts and past comments from her hosting days on Sunrise (pictured)

‘Yes, I do,’ Ms Le Cerf said.

Meanwhile, Armytage’s Sunrise successor Natalie Barr accused the CEO of Woolworths of trying to make a political statement about Australia Day on Wednesday – prompting the supermarket boss to insist he isn’t trying to ‘cancel’ the national day.

The supermarket giant shocked customers earlier this month when it announced it would not be stocking January 26 merchandise due to declining demand and sensitivities around the day.

In response to the public backlash, the retailer has since taken out full page newspaper ads with a letter penned by the boss insisting the retailer is not anti-Australia Day.

Armytage’s Sunrise successor Natalie Barr (pictured) accused the CEO of Woolworths of trying to make a political statement about Australia Day on Wednesday

‘We aren’t trying to “cancel” Australia Day, rather Woolworths is deeply proud of our place in providing the fresh food that brings Australians together every day,’ Woolworths chief executive Brad Banducci wrote.

The South African born chief executive copped a grilling from Barr when he appeared on Sunrise on Wednesday morning.

‘At the end of the day is it your role to tell Australians what they can and can’t buy?,’ she asked.

In his response, Mr Banducci took a swipe at rival retailers who had slammed Woolworths move.

In recent years, the weeks before Australia Day have been fraught with debate about whether its is wrong to celebrate the day the First Fleet arrived to colonise Australia in 1788

‘The great thing about retailers is that we all make different decisions about what to stock – they’ve made their decision and we’ve made ours,’ he said. 

‘We are focused on providing great value around everyday needs so you can mark the occasion and celebrate the Australia Day long weekend with friends and family. That is our focus.’

Millions of Aussies are gearing up for the long weekend as Australia Day quickly approaches. 

While banks and all government outlets such as Centrelink will be closed on Friday, most major businesses will be opened for at least part of the day.