War hero issues a brutal reality check to cricket captain Pat Cummins after he called for Australia Day date to be changed

A decorated Vietnam War veteran has urged Pat Cummins to stop ‘virtue signalling’ and ‘stick to cricket’ after the Australian captain weighed into the divisive Australia Day debate.

The sports star on Tuesday urged the federal government to change the upcoming national public holiday to a ‘more appropriate date’ and believes that January 26 was the wrong time.

The current date commemorates the arrival of the First Fleet at Sydney Harbour and the start of English colonisation of the continent and is known as ‘Invasion Day’ by many Indigenous Australians.

Cummins’ comments come after Cricket Australia decided to not mention Australia Day on day two of Australia’s second Test against the West Indies at the Gabba in Brisbane on Friday.

The stance by the board and Cummins has sparked a fiery reaction from Michael von Berg, a Military Cross recipient who served as a combat soldier in the Vietnam War.

The Adelaide war veteran is fed up with being told by corporate and sporting elites of how to mark Australia Day.

‘Wish they would stick to cricket,’ a furious Mr von Berg said.

‘Those sorts of comments are not endearing themselves to a lot of people who enjoy watching their cricket.’ 

Australian cricket captain Pat Cummins (pictured right with his wife Becky) has come under fire after he called for the date of Australia Day to be change

‘So many people that I know, we’re basically fed up with what to do, what not to do, what to drive, what not to drive.

‘This virtue signalling by the corporate and sporting worlds and from sporting men and women, it just has to stop.’

‘It’s not proving anything at all and quite frankly, it’s annoying us.’ 

Cummins told reporters on Tuesday that he has felt strongly about changing the Australia Day for some time.

‘With a sport like cricket which has such diversity and millions of people following it and supporting and playing it, you get a good spectrum and a good feel of what the community kind of expects,’ Australia’s top fast bowler explained.

‘So, knowing a couple of those players … you hear the stories and their feelings and it does gather extra importance.

‘We absolutely love Australia and feel really lucky and privileged to be here in this country but it is a delicate one.

‘Once you start realising Jan 26 and why it’s chosen, Australia Day has been a bit of celebration of everything in our history and we could find a better day.’

Vietnam War veteran Michael von berg (pictured) urged the Test captain to stick to cricket 

The war veteran suggested that Pat Cummins’ controversial comments about the Australia Day date won’t be endearing to cricket fans (pictured)

Mr von Berg also issued a scathing message for companies such as Woolworths which have distanced themselves from January 26 by removing Australia Day merchandise from stores.

‘Go woke, go broke. I’m sick and tired of being lectured by corporate Australia on how I should celebrate the day,’ Mr von Berg told Daily Mail Australia on Monday.

He also urged corporates to leave the Australian flag and the date alone.

There will be no woke ambiguity in our veteran community in celebrating Australia Day,’ he said.

‘The Australian flag will be flown high and proud because this flag means more to us than just a piece of cloth.

‘When a soldier dies, that flag is draped over the coffin, which are the arms of the nation embracing that soldier and thanking him/her for their service. The flag flying at half-mast are the tears of the nation mourning that soldier. It means even more.

‘Leave our day and flag alone!’

The war hero also slammed Waverley Council’s decision to hold a ‘dawn reflection’ on Bondi Beach this Friday to acknowledge the resilience and survival of Aboriginal people, recognising it as a ‘day of mourning’ for many First Nations people.

He says that dawn services should be not associated with Australia Day, given their significance to soldiers on Anzac Day.

‘It’s a disservice not only to the veteran community but also to First Nations soldiers who fought and died for their country,’ Mr von Berg said. 

‘Personally, a dawn service of this nature flies in the face of what they traditionally stand for, which is honouring soldiers.’

‘This stuff doesn’t help anyone. I have nothing but respect for First Nations people but there’s got to be another way.’

The upcoming national public holiday has reignited debate about the date of Australia Day