Prime Minister Scott Morrison is facing backlash after responding to the controversy around Australia Day by saying both Indigenous Australians and the First Fleet suffered on January 26.

Energy Minister Angus Taylor told Deborah Knight the comments were “a statement of fact” and not “even remotely controversial”, and called for the nation’s history to be recognised “warts and all”.

“We shouldn’t be cancelling any aspect of it.”

Labor backbencher Joel Fitzgibbon retaliated, arguing a comparison of the two groups is “wrong” and minimises ongoing impacts.

“A lot of European Australians are living pretty well now Deb. They are not suffering the same legacy as our Indigenous community does.

“As is so often the case, Scott Morrison was pitching to the extreme right.

“He is constantly harvesting domestic votes at the expense of some Australians, and even at the expense of our international relationships.”

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Image: Getty Images/Sam Mooy