Both Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton have been asked about Welcome to Country ceremonies in recent days. It comes after an Indigenous Elder was booed at an Anzac Day dawn service.
Both leaders condemned the booing, which was later confirmed to have been led by a neo-Nazi in the crowd.
In the following days, both have been questioned about the frequency of Welcome to Country ceremonies, and a planned ceremony at a Melbourne NRL match that was cancelled.
Welcome to Country
Welcome to Country ceremonies are performed by a local Indigenous person, usually an Elder, who welcomes visitors to their traditional lands.
The ceremony is considered a sign of respect for First Nations people. It can be accompanied by song, dance, and smoking ceremonies.
It is different to an Acknowledgement of Country, which is a recognition of the Traditional Owners of a particular site and can be performed by anyone.
Anzac Day
At an Anzac Day dawn service in Melbourne on Friday, Bunurong and Gunditjmara man Uncle Mark Brown, an Elder, delivered a Welcome to Country.
Brown was interrupted by hecklers in the crowd, who were then drowned out by applause.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan later confirmed a neo-Nazi led the booing.
The man has been interviewed by police.
Allan described the incident as “appalling”, while RSL Victoria President Dr Robert Webster called it “disrespectful to the Aboriginal community, veterans, and the spirit of Anzac Day.”
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Speaking on Saturday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called it “completely unacceptable,” and Opposition Leader Peter Dutton said Australians “should condemn those bad actions”.
Leaders' debate
During the final leaders’ debate the following day, Dutton said Welcome to Country ceremonies can be “overdone”.
“For the opening of Parliament, fair enough, it’s respectful to do,” Dutton said during the debate on Sunday.
“But for the start of every meeting at work or the start of a football game, I think a lot of Australians think it’s overdone, and it cheapens the significance of what it was meant to do. It divides the country.”
The Coalition has previously said it would review funding for Welcome to Country ceremonies at official government events.
During the same debate, Prime Minister Albanese said a Welcome to Country is “a matter of respect”.
“It’s also... up to the organisations that are hosting an event of whether they have a Welcome to Country or not.”
There is no legal requirement for organisations to facilitate a Welcome to Country in Australia.
Today
At a press conference on Monday, Dutton said it was not appropriate to hold a Welcome to Country during the Anzac Day dawn service.
He said he had spoken to veterans after the event who had a “majority view that they don’t want it on that day.”
Approximately 1,000 First Nations Australians served in WWI.
