Wholesale Sleeper Company owner Murray Flakelar has copped criticism from some members of the public for advertising on the Alan Jones program.
A QUEANBEYAN business owner has been caught in the public backlash following inflammatory comments made by Sydney radio presenter Alan Jones.
Wholesale Sleeper Company owner Murray Flakelar sponsors the simulcast of the Alan Jones and Ray Hadley talk-back programs on Canberra station 2CC and said he's proud to do so.
But when a public scandal blew up following comments Jones made about the Prime Minister's father "dying of shame" over his daughter's parliamentary career, Mr Flakelar found his business targeted by some angry members of the public.
Following an ABC Radio interview he participated in on Monday in the wake of the Jones' controversy, Mr Flakelar had one long-term customer email him to say they wouldn't be shopping there again and was verbally abused by another.
"I support Alan Jones, but I don't support what he said. No one in Australia supports that, not even Jonesy himself, which is why he apologised," Mr Flakelar said.
"But this whole thing has got out of hand. It's quite silly.
"I was asked this week by a local taxi driver why hadn't I withdrawn my advertising from the Alan Jones show. I said 'Why would I?'
"He said 'I'm never going to buy with you. I'm a taxi driver and I have a hundred clients a day, and I'm going to tell them all about you.'
Another customer of thirty years emailed him to say they would also no longer shop at the company.
"I thought that was pretty ordinary. I just think it's very forward of people to tell me where I can and can't advertise. Where you advertise is a person's privilege I would of thought."
Mr Flakelar said he'd continue to promote his business on radio and sponsor the Jones and Hadley shows despite the controversy.
"I'm more of a Ray Hadley man anyway. Jonesy is just part of the [2GB] package.
"[But] Australia is a free society. You can make your mind up whether you're Liberal or Labor, Catholic or Anglican or whatever else. We're all entitled to free speech," he said.