Recognition of Aboriginal Australians has become standard at most public events. Increasingly, the right is taking aim at the practice.
Leading up to this year’s Anzac Day, when Australia’s war dead are commemorated with a somber dawn service, several far-right groups were abuzz with an action plan. The disruption of solemn services in three major cities on Saturday was the latest and one of the highest-profile actions orchestrated to assail the practice of the Welcome to Country ceremony.
What is the Welcome to Country Ceremony?
The Welcome to Country is a statement that has become an established part of many public events in Australia, acknowledging the Aboriginal history of the land. It is a gesture of respect and recognition of the traditional custodians of the country.
However, opponents see the practice as giving outsize weight to Indigenous groups. In recent years, figures like Pauline Hanson have walked out or turned their backs during these acknowledgments in Parliament.
The Struggle for Meaningful Inclusion
The debate over symbolic recognition mirrors the legislative struggle for Indigenous rights. The 1999 EPBC Act provided little in the way of Indigenous inclusion, with no mechanisms mandating meaningful consultation with Traditional Owners. Projects could proceed without just consultation, consent, or respect for cultural values and rights.
Disappointingly, the new EPBC Act 2025 still fails to provide real, meaningful self-determination. The role of Indigenous peoples in matters that relate to the health of Country remains, at best, advisory.
From Advisory to Authority
Traditional Owners should have the right to determine what happens on their Country. Meaningful inclusion should look like:
Clear and binding Indigenous engagement for any planning and approvals processes.
Expansion of the power of the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC).
Stronger enforcement mechanisms for legal challenges.
Decision-making and leadership that reflects Traditional Owner protocols and values.
Setting a Better Standard
We cannot continue with a system that pays lip service to reconciliation while approving the destruction of sacred sites and ecosystems. New standards that empower Traditional Owners in real and meaningful ways offer an opportunity for transformative change.
It’s time to move beyond simply hearing the Welcome to Country ceremony, to actually listening and allowing the people who have cared for this land for over 65,000 years to enact proven solutions.
