Unwelcome country: why have some conservative politicians stopped acknowledging Indigenous lands in Australia?

Welcome to country ceremonies are commonplace in Australia. The campaign against them is ‘just ugly politicking’, says Aboriginal leaderGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe Northern Territory chief minister made a deliberate omission at an event last month commemorating the 1942 bombing of Darwin by Japanese forces. In her opening remarks, Lia Finocchiaro acknowledged veterans and the families of those who survived – but not the Larrakia people, on whose land the event was held.She later told local radio that such gestures, widely made at public gatherings to show respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, had become “tokenistic” and “divisive”.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...

Mar 1, 2025 - 01:14

Unwelcome country: why have some conservative politicians stopped acknowledging Indigenous lands in Australia?

Welcome to country ceremonies are commonplace in Australia. The campaign against them is ‘just ugly politicking’, says Aboriginal leader

Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast

The Northern Territory chief minister made a deliberate omission at an event last month commemorating the 1942 bombing of Darwin by Japanese forces. In her opening remarks, Lia Finocchiaro acknowledged veterans and the families of those who survived – but not the Larrakia people, on whose land the event was held.

She later told local radio that such gestures, widely made at public gatherings to show respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, had become “tokenistic” and “divisive”.

Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Continue reading...