tv

The TV show dubbed "the Aussie Kardashians" is airing tonight, but it's so much more than that.

 

Dubbed the “Aussie Kardashians“, Daniella Borg and her nine daughters are the subject of a deep access documentary series titled Family Rules, airing tonight on NITV.

Led by a “fearless matriarch” Family Rules follows nine sisters, aged between 29 and 12, navigating their way through life.

Although there are some clear parallels, the series looks far, far more interesting than The Kardashians.

For starters, the series offers a rare insight into modern Indigenous family life, with 47-year-old Borg and her daughters residing in Perth, Western Australia.

Daniella Borg with daughters Kiara Rule and Shenika Bennell. Image via NITV.
ADVERTISEMENT

Borg was widowed in 2004, after her husband and father of nine, Kevin Rule, was fatally punched in the head outside a pub.

Their youngest daughter, Hannah, was born only weeks before. Rule was 38 when he tragically lost his life.

His assault was the subject of a 2009 documentary titled Courting with Justice.

Borg told ARM's The Guide "You have to remain positive, otherwise the negativity can get out of control."

"I just try to see the positives in things, but quite honestly my kids were my saviours. At a time when I felt like I just needed to crumble down I'd look at my baby and girls and say 'No I can't do this; I've got to stay strong for my girls'."

Her eldest daughter, 29-year-old Angela Williams, starred in her own NITV program Angela's Rules. 

A talented singer-songwriter, Williams has supported Jess Mauboy and appeared onstage with Mariah Carey as a child. Williams recently gave birth to daughter Chloe.

Angela Williams. Image via NITV.
ADVERTISEMENT

The second eldest, 27-year-old Shenika Bennell, appeared on Fox 8's model search The Face, hosted by Naomi Campbell.

She came in tenth place. Bennell is married and a mother to Harlem and Kai.

Third eldest Helen currently works in retail and is planning to study teaching at university. Kelly, fourth, works on an oil rig. 22-year-old Kiara is studying a double degree in anthropology and business at Monash University, and sixth daughter Sharna is studying a Bachelor of Education at Curtin University.

ADVERTISEMENT

The three youngest daughters, Aleisha, Jessica and Hannah, are all in high school.

Like any family, the girls fight and steal each others clothes. Daniella highly values education, insisting that all her daughters complete year 12.

“That’s the minimum,” she told The Daily Telegraph. “We have an honour wall at home with pictures of the girls (at graduation).”

Mia Freedman, Holly Wainwright and Monique Bowley offer their TV recommendations. Post continues below. 

Family Rules is bound to be entertaining, but Daniella says “As well as being a bit of fun, I hoped by doing the show that maybe attitudes and assumptions could change in regards to aboriginal people and single parents.”

In addition, she wants to give her daughters a better understanding of where they came from.

And as for being the "Aussie Kardashians"? She's not convinced.

“We’ve had people say ‘the black Kardashians’ and things like that. We just laugh at it, but at the end of the day we are telling our story based on our life experiences and what we go through as a family.

“And we’re nowhere near as fancy as the Kardashians.”

* Family Rules airs as a six-part series from Monday, January 9, at 7.30pm on NITV (Channel 34 and Foxtel 144)