Too much of a good thing? Aussies split on Welcome to Country ceremonies
- Replies 35
It seems the national conversation around Welcome to Country ceremonies has reached a new boiling point, with fresh survey data suggesting that many Aussies have, in the words of one commentator, 'had an absolute gutful' of the practice.
But is the story really that simple? Let’s take a closer look at what’s behind the headlines, what the ceremonies actually mean, and why the debate is so heated.
Survey Says: Divisive or Meaningful?
A recent poll conducted by Dynata for the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) surveyed just over a thousand Australians and found that 56per cent of respondents now see Welcome to Country ceremonies as 'divisive'.
Only 17 per cent disagreed, while the rest were unsure. Even among younger Australians, aged 18 to 24—often thought to be more progressive—nearly half (48 per cent) didn’t see the ritual as unifying.
When it comes to specific events, the numbers are just as split. For example, 46 per cent of respondents said Welcome to Country should no longer be performed before Anzac Day ceremonies, and 49 per cent said the same about sporting matches.
On the other hand, a significant minority (34 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively) still support the tradition at these events.
What’s Behind the Backlash?
Mr Wild stated that ‘even younger Australians, who the political class insist are left-wing and woke, by a two-to-one margin believe Welcome to Country performances are divisive,’ in a statement released alongside the findings.
He added that opinions were evenly split when it came to such performances at sporting events and Anzac Day commemorations, which he said ‘further underscor[es] how divisive it is’.
Mr Wild also criticised Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who began her National Press Club speech on Wednesday by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land. She emphasised that while the gesture shouldn't become routine, there is ‘a time and a place’ for both Acknowledgement and Welcome to Country ceremonies.
‘Look, I think Acknowledgement of Country have their place, but in significant moments like yesterday was one of those places,’ Ms Ley told ABC Radio on Thursday, when asked whether her remarks had ‘settled’ the wider debate around the practice.
In earlier news: Boos spark outrage during welcome to country at dawn service
‘And as Environment Minister and Health Minister, I listened carefully and I participated in what I would describe as meaningful Welcome to Country ceremonies that involved the circumstances of Indigenous Australians with respect to our natural environment and their health that were relevant and important.
‘I don’t think it should be ticking a box on a Teams meeting. I don’t think it should be at every work meeting, because I think that actually diminishes the value of what it is.
‘So there is a time and a place, and it’s about striking the right balance.’
Mr Wild contended that ‘commonsense, working class, mainstream Australians understand something that the highly credentialed elites do not: Australians do not want to be divided by race, and we do not want or need to be welcomed to our own country.’
Source: Sky News Australia / Youtube.
Finding the Right Balance
Ms Ley’s comments represented a notable shift from her predecessor Peter Dutton, who chose not to include Acknowledgement of Country statements at key events and speeches during his campaign. He had described the practice as excessive and said he did not support Welcome to Country ceremonies on Anzac Day.
Mr Wild argued that Ms Ley’s approach was ‘at odds with modern Australia’, and criticised her for having ‘[failed] to state who the purported traditional owners of the National Press Club are’.
Meanwhile, several Indigenous leaders and academics voiced concerns to The Daily Telegraph over both the frequency of Welcome to Country ceremonies and the intentions behind them.
‘Welcome to Country is overused. It is meant to be a sacred ceremony between tribes, not to be commercialised like a money-making machine,’ said former South Australian AFL player Tyson Lindsay.
Also read: ‘It’s already here’: Expert’s warning as Australia edges closer to a cashless future
‘I talk to my elders about it and they say it is not acceptable, every time we hear it we cringe now … There are too many real issues facing Aboriginal people to be worrying about these empty symbolic gestures.
‘I am looking for real change for the good of rather than symbolic tokenism.’
Indigenous businessman and public figure Warren Mundine said he was tired of the practice being politicised.
‘A welcome is supposed to be, “I’m glad you’re here”,’ Mr Mundine said. ‘It’s like welcoming someone into your house.’
Earlier this year, Wiradjuri woman and University of Melbourne Associate Professor of Indigenous Education, Dr Jessa Rogers, told news.com.au that the belief Welcome to Country was ‘about welcoming you to Australia’ was ‘completely ridiculous’.
Source: ABC News (Australia) / Youtube.
‘People think that a Welcome to Country is welcoming them to Australia, when in fact it is welcoming them to the specific Country of that local Aboriginal nation,’ Dr Rogers said.
Dr Rogers explained that the tradition is a formal welcome by the traditional custodians of a specific area.
‘Country is not the same as “Australia”,’ she said. ‘It is a spiritual concept as well as a physical one — it encompasses landmarks but also people, skies, waterways and beings. Country is what we belong to as Aboriginal people.’
We’d love to hear your thoughts, members! Have you noticed more Welcome to Country ceremonies at events you attend? Do you find them meaningful, or do you think they’re overused? Should they be reserved for special occasions, or included as a matter of course? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below!
But is the story really that simple? Let’s take a closer look at what’s behind the headlines, what the ceremonies actually mean, and why the debate is so heated.
Survey Says: Divisive or Meaningful?
A recent poll conducted by Dynata for the Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) surveyed just over a thousand Australians and found that 56per cent of respondents now see Welcome to Country ceremonies as 'divisive'.
Only 17 per cent disagreed, while the rest were unsure. Even among younger Australians, aged 18 to 24—often thought to be more progressive—nearly half (48 per cent) didn’t see the ritual as unifying.
When it comes to specific events, the numbers are just as split. For example, 46 per cent of respondents said Welcome to Country should no longer be performed before Anzac Day ceremonies, and 49 per cent said the same about sporting matches.
On the other hand, a significant minority (34 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively) still support the tradition at these events.
Over half of surveyed Australians (56 per cent) believe Welcome to Country ceremonies have become divisive, with only 17 per cent disagreeing and 27 per cent unsure. Image source: Sky News Australia / Youtube.
What’s Behind the Backlash?
Mr Wild stated that ‘even younger Australians, who the political class insist are left-wing and woke, by a two-to-one margin believe Welcome to Country performances are divisive,’ in a statement released alongside the findings.
He added that opinions were evenly split when it came to such performances at sporting events and Anzac Day commemorations, which he said ‘further underscor[es] how divisive it is’.
Mr Wild also criticised Opposition Leader Sussan Ley, who began her National Press Club speech on Wednesday by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land. She emphasised that while the gesture shouldn't become routine, there is ‘a time and a place’ for both Acknowledgement and Welcome to Country ceremonies.
‘Look, I think Acknowledgement of Country have their place, but in significant moments like yesterday was one of those places,’ Ms Ley told ABC Radio on Thursday, when asked whether her remarks had ‘settled’ the wider debate around the practice.
In earlier news: Boos spark outrage during welcome to country at dawn service
‘And as Environment Minister and Health Minister, I listened carefully and I participated in what I would describe as meaningful Welcome to Country ceremonies that involved the circumstances of Indigenous Australians with respect to our natural environment and their health that were relevant and important.
‘I don’t think it should be ticking a box on a Teams meeting. I don’t think it should be at every work meeting, because I think that actually diminishes the value of what it is.
‘So there is a time and a place, and it’s about striking the right balance.’
Mr Wild contended that ‘commonsense, working class, mainstream Australians understand something that the highly credentialed elites do not: Australians do not want to be divided by race, and we do not want or need to be welcomed to our own country.’
Source: Sky News Australia / Youtube.
Finding the Right Balance
Ms Ley’s comments represented a notable shift from her predecessor Peter Dutton, who chose not to include Acknowledgement of Country statements at key events and speeches during his campaign. He had described the practice as excessive and said he did not support Welcome to Country ceremonies on Anzac Day.
Mr Wild argued that Ms Ley’s approach was ‘at odds with modern Australia’, and criticised her for having ‘[failed] to state who the purported traditional owners of the National Press Club are’.
Meanwhile, several Indigenous leaders and academics voiced concerns to The Daily Telegraph over both the frequency of Welcome to Country ceremonies and the intentions behind them.
‘Welcome to Country is overused. It is meant to be a sacred ceremony between tribes, not to be commercialised like a money-making machine,’ said former South Australian AFL player Tyson Lindsay.
Also read: ‘It’s already here’: Expert’s warning as Australia edges closer to a cashless future
‘I talk to my elders about it and they say it is not acceptable, every time we hear it we cringe now … There are too many real issues facing Aboriginal people to be worrying about these empty symbolic gestures.
‘I am looking for real change for the good of rather than symbolic tokenism.’
Indigenous businessman and public figure Warren Mundine said he was tired of the practice being politicised.
‘A welcome is supposed to be, “I’m glad you’re here”,’ Mr Mundine said. ‘It’s like welcoming someone into your house.’
Earlier this year, Wiradjuri woman and University of Melbourne Associate Professor of Indigenous Education, Dr Jessa Rogers, told news.com.au that the belief Welcome to Country was ‘about welcoming you to Australia’ was ‘completely ridiculous’.
Source: ABC News (Australia) / Youtube.
‘People think that a Welcome to Country is welcoming them to Australia, when in fact it is welcoming them to the specific Country of that local Aboriginal nation,’ Dr Rogers said.
Dr Rogers explained that the tradition is a formal welcome by the traditional custodians of a specific area.
‘Country is not the same as “Australia”,’ she said. ‘It is a spiritual concept as well as a physical one — it encompasses landmarks but also people, skies, waterways and beings. Country is what we belong to as Aboriginal people.’
We’d love to hear your thoughts, members! Have you noticed more Welcome to Country ceremonies at events you attend? Do you find them meaningful, or do you think they’re overused? Should they be reserved for special occasions, or included as a matter of course? Share your experiences and opinions in the comments below!
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