A statement from New Zealand band Dragon has slammed Prime Minister Scott Morrison for “co-opting” their hit song to "humanise" himself ahead of a federal election.
The moment appeared during an interview with the Nine Network that aired on Sunday, where Mr Morrison and his wife Jenny were asked about his character, Brittany Higgins, Grace Tame and the family’s notorious trip to Hawaii during the 2019-2020 bushfire crisis.
Later, sitting around a dinner table, Mr Morrison pulled out a ukulele and performed part of the song ‘April Sun in Cuba’, stumbling for a moment on the lyrics.
On Monday morning, a spokesperson from the band reacted to the clip – first by sharing a TikTok video in which Mr Morrison plays the ukulele in front of superimposed images of the bushfires.
“Once again, Dragon are famous for all the wrong reasons,” they captioned the post.
Later, they released a critical statement.
"It is a cynical move for a politician to co-opt music in an attempt to humanise themselves come election time," the band's statement said.
"Maybe if his trip to Hawaii had not been cut short, he could have learnt the lyrics to the rest of the chorus."
The moment had already been widely circulated after it was played in a preview of the episode.
Critics said the Hawaiian instrument pointed to the trip taken by the Morrison family during the deadly bushfire season that killed 34 people and destroyed nearly 3000 homes.
Jenny apologised for the trip during the interview, acknowledging how the couple had “disappointed” the Australian public with their holiday.
“I am more than sorry if we disappointed,” she said.
“We did disappoint. Did we make the right decision? I thought I was making the right decision for my kids. I obviously was wrong. Yes, we were over there seeing it and we were like 'we really need to get home'.
“So, I wish that had never happened. But I can’t change it.”
After asking what the Mr Morrison and Jenny might find time to do if they lose the next election, interviewer Karl Stefanovic said, “You could go to Hawaii!”
“Too soon,” Jenny said.
"Too soon," said Mr Morrison.
