Abbie Chatfield posted photo of her partying on Australia Day five years ago

Abbie Chatfield has broken her silence after photo resurfaced on Instagram showing her dancing at a pub on Australia Day five years ago.

On Wednesday, the outspoken Bachelor star criticised supposedly ‘woke’ Aussies who spent January 26 celebrating with friends despite acknowledging the day is offensive to many Aboriginal people.

However, when a photo of Abbie doing the very same thing in 2017 surfaced on Thursday morning, critics accused her of being hypocritical.

The podcast host responded to the backlash hours later, saying the photo in question was taken before she started to think critically about Australia Day.

‘I’ve been getting DMs from people, like, trying to prove me wrong, being like, “I bet you celebrated Australia Day,”‘ she said in a video on Instagram Stories.  

‘Yeah, I have. Of course I have. I grew up in a white area and a white family and went to predominantly white schools that taught us the British invading this country was a positive thing. Of course I have.’

‘But I think the last time was 2017… and then I’ve been to the protests the last three years. I didn’t celebrate in 2018, she continued. 

Partying: In this Instagram post from Australia Day in 2017, Abbie was pictured dancing with a man at a bar in Sydney with a drink in her hand

In Abbie’s 2017 Australia Day post, the blonde was pictured dancing with a man at a bar in Sydney with a drink in her hand, while showing off her cleavage in a lace bra and white top. 

The caption read: ‘Daddy hunt’, indicating that she was on the prowl for a male lover.  

Elsewhere in Thursday’s video, Abbie took a thinly veiled dig at fellow Bachelor star Elly Miles, 27, who attended a boozy party on Wednesday despite acknowledging Australia Day as a time of mourning by re-sharing an Invasion Day meme hours earlier. 

Truth: She finally responded to backlash on Thursday, telling fans in an Instagram Story video: ‘I’ve been getting DMs from people, like, trying to prove me wrong, being like, ‘I bet you celebrated Australia Day”

Different situation: She went on to insist that her 2017 post wasn’t offensive because she didn’t know any better at the time

Dig? Elsewhere in Thursday’s video, Abbie took a thinly veiled dig at fellow Bachelor star Elly Miles (pictured on The Bachelor in 2019) who attended a boozy party on Wednesday despite acknowledging Australia Day as a time of mourning by re-sharing an Invasion Day meme hours earlier

Abbie insisted that her 2017 post wasn’t offensive because she didn’t know any better at the time. 

‘I think the issue comes when you’re posting a square and you’re saying, ‘Always was, always will be,’ and then going to celebrate. Choose a side,’ she said. 

‘You can’t be on both sides. You can’t acknowledge the issue behind the day and then go and celebrate it. Once you know better, do better. As cliché as it is and how overrun as it is, that is the rule.’  

‘You should know better by now’: It comes after Abbie (left) took taken aim at supposedly ‘woke’ Aussies who spent Australia Day partying with friends despite acknowledging the day is offensive to many Aboriginal people. Fans are convinced she was referring to fellow Bachelor alum Elly (right), who attended a attended a friend’s going-away party on Wednesday

Abbie went on to explain she ‘didn’t come out of the womb knowing everything’, but that she’s augmented her behaviour over the years after learning about her ‘white privilege’. 

It came after Abbie took aim at Aussies who celebrated Australia Day with boozy parties despite acknowledging how painful the day can be for many Aboriginal people. 

While she didn’t name anyone specifically, she was likely referring to Elly, who attended a friend’s going-away party on Wednesday, just hours after posting an ‘always was, always will be’ meme on Instagram.

Controversy: Despite describing last year’s gathering as a ‘lapse of judgment’, Elly once again spent this Australia Day socialising and drinking with friends this year (pictured) – but defended her actions by insisting ‘it wasn’t an Australia Day party’ 

It was a case of déjà vu for Elly, who last year copped backlash after she gave a sombre speech about how painful Australia Day can be for Indigenous people, only to spend the rest of the day downing shots at a backyard bash. 

Despite describing last year’s gathering as a ‘lapse of judgment’, Elly once again spent this Australia Day socialising and drinking with friends this year – but defended her actions by insisting ‘it wasn’t an Australia Day party’. 

Abbie, who previously called out Elly’s Australia Day antics last year, took to Instagram on Wednesday with another scathing message directed at Aussies like Elly who spent their public holiday having a good time.  

‘True lack of care’: Abbie also seemingly called out Elly for sharing an Instagram post that read ‘always was, always will be Aboriginal land’ on Wednesday morning, just hours before kicking off her boozy celebrations in the afternoon

‘If I’ve unfollowed you today, you should know why. Even if we’re friends, it’s 2022, we aren’t doing this anymore and you should know better by now,’ Abbie began, choosing not to refer to Elly by name. 

”But it’s not an Australia Day Party!!’ Isn’t an excuse. You’re having a party / enjoying your public holiday on a day of mourning for First Nations people.’ 

Abbie also seemingly called out Elly for sharing an Instagram post that read ‘always was, always will be Aboriginal land’ on Wednesday morning, just hours before kicking off her boozy celebrations in the afternoon.  

‘Don’t reshare your bulls**t…’ she raged, adding: ‘If you’re going to do it, don’t lie to yourself.’

In a subsequent post, Abbie questioned why Elly had chosen to attend a party rather than an Invasion Day protest. 

Post: Elly had shared this meme before spending the afternoon partying with pals

Semantics: Abbie also responded to Elly’s excuse that she was attending a party on Australia Day rather than an ‘Australia Day party’

‘Why do you bother posting “change the date” or more accurately “abolish Australia Day” if you’re not going to come to the march, and spend the day at the beach or just hanging out with your mates? Do you really give a s**t or nah?

‘Clearly there are reasons people can’t attend the march, but plans with mates?… Encourage and try to be part of actual change if you care enough to post the sentiment on your [Instagram] Stories.’  

Abbie, who attended an Invasion Day protest in Sydney on Wednesday, said she ‘didn’t see any influencers’ at the demonstration, and encouraged Elly to attend next time.

Disapproval: ‘Do you see how that doesn’t really add up? You don’t have to have Australian flags flying and be speaking about your patriotism for it to be an Australia Day party. Just so you know,’ she added 

‘Come next year if it means so much to you,’ she said. 

Abbie also responded to Elly’s excuse that she was attending a party on Australia Day rather than an ‘Australia Day party’.  

‘People saying, “It’s not an Australia Day party, I see no Australian flags anywhere. It’s just a party on Australia Day”, is the same as saying, “It isn’t a New Year’s Eve party, I see no sparklers or 2022 glasses anywhere. It’s just a party on New Year’s Eve,”‘ Abbie said. 

Where it all began: Elly and Abbie met on The Bachelor in 2019 (pictured on the show) 

‘Do you see how that doesn’t really add up? You don’t have to have Australian flags flying and be speaking about your patriotism for it to be an Australia Day party. Just so you know,’ she added.

On Wednesday, Elly was called out by Instagram page Celeb Spellcheck for ‘doing exactly what she apologised for last year’ after she posted a now-deleted photo of herself enjoying a glass of bubbly while surrounded by a group of pals.

In the now-deleted Instagram post, the reality star was seen smiling as she held up a glass of bubbly while seated at an outdoor table with her friends. 

Making headlines: On Wednesday, Elly was called out by Instagram page Celeb Spellcheck for ‘doing exactly what she apologised for last year’ after she posted a now-deleted photo of herself enjoying a glass of bubbly while surrounded by a group of pals

Elly has since insisted it wasn’t an Australia Day party. 

‘I want to jump on my Stories really quick because I’ve got a couple of comments coming through on my photos that people are a bit worried that I’m at an Australia Day party,’ she began.

‘And I just want to say so you hear directly from me, I’m not. I’m at a friend’s house, [we’ve] got the kids in the pool, we’re hanging out. We’ve got some friends going away, that is all it is. 

Addressing the talk: Following the backlash, Elly took to her Instagram Stories, insisting that she was not by any means at an Australia Day party 

‘So I wanted to come on here so you could hear directly from me. I want to clear that up right now. I am all for abolish the date.

‘I 110 per cent respect that this is Aboriginal land that we’re living on, and I’m not supporting Australia Day at all.’ 

Last year, Elly uploaded a video of herself delivering a sombre speech about how painful Australia Day can be for Indigenous people, before sharing a photo of herself attending an ‘Invasion Day’ protest in Sydney.  

Not an Australia Day party: ‘And I just want to say so you hear directly from me, I’m not. I’m at a friend’s house, [we’ve] got the kids in the pool, we’re hanging out. We’ve got some friends going away, that is all it is,’ she said 

‘I am sorry’: Last year, Elly issued a public apology for attending an Australia Day pool party just hours after attending a change the date protest

Just hours later, however, Elly raised eyebrows by documenting herself attending a boozy Australia Day pool party.

The rather tone-deaf sequence of events wasn’t lost on Elly’s Instagram followers, many of whom accused her of being a hypocrite. 

One fan wrote: ‘Just a little contradicting and confusing to be posting about your support with changing the date and then heading to what one can assume would be an Australia Day party… as it’s a party on Australia Day? 

Remorseful: Addressing the furore in an Instagram post at the time, the influencer issued an emotional apology 

‘I hope you acknowledge this. I’ll be eager to see your reasoning.’

Another commented on Elly’s Instagram page: ‘It is very upsetting to see you post a change the date post on this day of mourning, yet you go to an Australia Day party the same day. This is so disappointing and beyond tone deaf.’ 

Other followers accused Elly of feigning empathy for Indigenous people to improve her public image as an influencer.

Lapse of judgement: ‘I had a complete lapse of judgement and have a lot of regret for my actions. I sincerely apologise for upsetting anyone,’ she wrote

‘Beyond tone deaf’: Last year Elly was slammed for sharing an ‘Invasion Day’ message on Instagram (left) – just hours before attending a wild Australia Day pool party (right) 

‘Your manager must have reminded you to give some lip service and a quick pic and then off to get blind and party. Performative influencers,’ one fan grumbled.

Another agreed: ‘I feel like these influencers say something about it just to say they did. Maybe because they’ll cop s**t if they don’t?’ 

Addressing the furore in an Instagram post at the time, Elly wrote: ‘To answer people’s comments from yesterday, there is nothing else I can say in this situation other than “I am sorry”.

‘Be the change’: Last year, Elly uploaded a video of herself delivering a sombre speech about how painful Australia Day can be for Indigenous people, before sharing a photo of herself attending an ‘Invasion Day’ protest in Sydney (pictured) 

‘I had a complete lapse of judgement and have a lot of regret for my actions. I sincerely apologise for upsetting anyone,’ she added.

‘I stand by my attendance at the Change the Date protest and feel that it is an incredibly important issue. I truly wasn’t being insincere with my attendance.

‘I know how it looks, we all make mistakes – I made one yesterday and all I can say once again, from the bottom of my heart, is that I truly am sorry.’

Laidback: That afternoon, Elly shared a video of herself attending a backyard pool party 

Relaxed: During last year’s festivities, Elly was seen drinking with pals, taking shots of tequila and posing for selfies

At the time, Abbie slammed Elly in an Instagram Story post, saying that it is the ‘easiest f**king decision’ to stay away from celebrations on January 26.

‘You aren’t being the change if you’re participating in harmful traditions. It is the EASIEST f**king decision. To just NOT. Hottest 100 is now on the Saturday, you can celebrate the long weekend with your friends then. I did! Without an Australian flag in sight,’ she wrote.  

While she didn’t name names, Abbie added that people should have used the public holiday to learn more about the day itself, and ‘broaden your understanding of the harm colonisation has caused’.

‘The level of cognitive dissonance in believing that you can ACTUALLY attend a rally and then just pop on over to your pool party is something else,’ she continued.

‘If you were *actually* listening to speakers at these rallies, you wouldn’t be able to have fun in the afternoon. You’d want to dig deeper, feel a responsibility to be uncomfortable and to hopefully learn something,’ she added. 

Fuming: At the time, Abbie slammed Elly in an Instagram Story post, saying that it is the ‘easiest f**king decision’ to stay away from celebrations on January 26

Unimpressed: While she didn’t name names, Abbie added that people should have used the public holiday to learn more about the day itself, and ‘broaden your understanding of the harm colonisation has caused’