Why Aboriginal activist who led crusade to change 'racist' Coon cheese name is STILL not happy with the new Cheer brand

  • Activist who lead campaign to change 'Coon' name is reportedly disappointed 
  • Stephen Hagan wishes the company consulted with the Indigenous community 
  • Aboriginal author and activist wants name 'inclusive of First Nations people' 
  • 'Cheer' was revealed on Tuesday after the name change was announced in July

By Kirsten Jelinek For Daily Mail Australia

Published: | Updated:

An Aboriginal activist who led a 21-year campaign to change the 'racist' Coon cheese name is reportedly disappointed after the new Cheer brand was unveiled. 

Author and anti-racism activist Stephen Hagan said the Indigenous community was not consulted about the product's new name. 

'I would have liked it (the name) to be something more inclusive of First Nations people,' Mr Hagan told the Sydney Morning Herald. 

Author and anti-racism activist Stephen Hagan said the Indigenous community was not consulted about the product's new name

Author and anti-racism activist Stephen Hagan said the Indigenous community was not consulted about the product's new name 

Coon cheese will now be named Cheer (pictured) as the name 'coon' is also used as a racial slur

Coon cheese will now be named Cheer (pictured) as the name 'coon' is also used as a racial slur 

Dr Stephen Hagan, has spent the past two decades lobbying to have the brand name changed as the word 'coon' is a derogatory slur against people of colour. 

'We weren't even consulted on names,' he said. 

'We would like to have contributed.' 

SkyNews commentator Chris Smith claimed Mr Hagan was 'grossly entitled' after details emerged that the activist is pursuing legal damages of $2.1million. 

'He (Stephen Hagan) says it has been 21 years of corporations undermining his claims against the word 'Coon',' SkyNew's Chris Smith said.  

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson, claims that Mr Hagan's response is the prime example 'why you never bend the knee to the PC mob'. 

Sky News commentator Chris Smith (pictured) has slammed Mr Hagan's disapproval of the new 'Cheer' brand, labelling the Indigenous activist as 'grossly entitled'

Sky News commentator Chris Smith (pictured) has slammed Mr Hagan's disapproval of the new 'Cheer' brand, labelling the Indigenous activist as 'grossly entitled' 

Ms Hanson criticised Mr Hagan's decades long activism campaign as a 'politically correct crusade'

'Recently Coon Cheese caved to a decades-long complaint campaign and changed its name to Cheer cheese but the activist behind the politically correct crusade isn't cheering', she wrote online.  

The One Nation leader also condemned Mr Hagan's legal case, insinuating the move is a back-handed 'thank you to the cheese formerly known as Coon.'  

'Like I've always said, you give an inch to the PC woke mob and they will take a mile.'

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (pictured) has criticised Mr Hagan's response as another reason 'why you never bend the knee to the PC mob'

One Nation leader Pauline Hanson (pictured) has criticised Mr Hagan's response as another reason 'why you never bend the knee to the PC mob'

When Cam Bruce, the commercial director of Coon's owners, Saputo Dairy Australia, revealed the name on Tuesday, the decision sparked a divided reaction.    

'The name Cheer has the significance of pleasure and joy,' Saputo's chief executive Lino Saputo in a statement.

'It's nice when you take a picture you say cheese and when you give a toast you say cheers.'

Mr Saputo said it was a lengthy process to come up with a new name that reflected the brand. 

Saputo announced Coon Cheese would be renamed in July. 

'We believe we all share in the responsibility to eliminate racism in all its forms and we feel this is an important step we must take to uphold this commitment,' they said at the time. 

Leading the call for an overhaul of the brand name was Aboriginal activist Stephen Hagan (pictured)

Leading the call for an overhaul of the brand name was Aboriginal activist Stephen Hagan (pictured)

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