‘Australian hero': Debate rages over Acknowledgement of Country ceremonies
This comes amid a council worker who won a court case for refusing to participate in a Welcome to Country ceremony.
'I think he is an Australian hero,' Ms Schlicht told Sky News host Steve Price.
'There's no doubt that these Welcome to Country's have just gone too far, they're overused and quite frankly they've lost their meaning.
'They're becoming quite divisive.'
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Test your skills with interactive crosswords, sudoku & trivia. Fresh daily! Your digital replica of Today's Paper. Ready to read from 5am! Be the first to know when news breaks. As it happens Get news, reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert, ACM's exclusive motoring partner. Get real, Australia! Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over. Get the very best journalism from The Canberra Times by signing up to our special reports. As it happens Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday. Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. Get the latest property and development news here. We've selected the best reading for your weekend. Join our weekly poll for Canberra Times readers. Your exclusive preview of David Pope's latest cartoon. Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. Don't miss updates on news about the Public Service. As it happens Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update. More from National Israel rejects that its actions in Gaza amount to genocide, a claim that has also been brought against it before the International Court of Justice. "If the Israeli government continues to kill innocent Palestinians, Labor has got no choice but to implement stronger and effective sanctions against a government that's committing genocide." "We should not treat Palestine any differently to any other recognised state in the world and there should be an embassy," he told AAP. Former senator Doug Cameron wants to see an Australian embassy in a future Palestinian state. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS) Former Labor senator and left-faction heavyweight Doug Cameron said the government should do all it can to support a Palestinian state, including aiding reconstruction efforts when the conflict ends. Israel's government has also throttled aid and food into Gaza for months, and the UN projects 2.1 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, while 470,000 are facing catastrophic levels of food insecurity. Its bombardment and military action on the strip restarted when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, killing 1200 people and taking about 250 hostage. Since October 2023, Israel has killed almost 62,000 Palestinians in Gaza, including 18,000 children, according to local health authorities, and its government on Friday approved plans to seize Gaza City. Opposition Israeli parliamentarian Shelly Tal Meron said she was also concerned about Hamas's purported reaction. Almost 150 out of the 193 UN member states have already recognised the state of Palestine, including EU countries Spain and Ireland. Opposition Leader Sussan Ley says the government is wrong to recognise a Palestinian state. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS) "(The prime minister) must reverse this decision, because when terrorists are cheerleaders for your foreign policy, you need to think again and reverse that position," Opposition Leader Sussan Ley said. Opponents of Australia's recognition move, including the coalition, said the prime minister had got it wrong. Dr Naim said efforts from "any party" to recognise Palestine were "very welcomed" but needed to be matched with practical actions. "I won't be a cheer squad for Hamas." "Hamas do not want a two-state solution - what they want is one state. 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Nine clarified on Thursday it had solicited the statement from a spokesperson on Mr Yousef's behalf, based in the West Bank. Almost 150 out of the 193 UN member states have already recognised the state of Palestine. (Bianca De Marchi/AAP PHOTOS) "I'm very surprised ... I doubt it's true," he said, referring to a statement first reported by Nine Newspapers. "Sheikh Yousef is in an Israeli jail for years now," Dr Naim told AAP. But the group's foreign relations chief, Istanbul-based Basem Naim, poured cold water on the statement making headlines domestically. Labor's "political courage" was reportedly commended by Hamas co-founder Hassan Yousef after Australia revealed it would join other nations in recognising Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in September. All other regional websites in your area The digital version of Today's Paper All articles from our website & app Login or signup to continue reading Subscribe now for unlimited access. The prime minister has pushed back against suggestions he is aiding Hamas by recognising Palestinian statehood as the terrorist group distances itself from a statement applauding Australia's decision. Questions have been raised about Hamas co-founder Hassan Yousef's reported praise for Australia. Photo: Mark Evans/AAP PHOTOS By Farid Farid, Andrew Brown and Kat Wong By Farid Farid, Andrew Brown and Kat Wong Your digital subscription includes access to content from all our websites in your region. Access unlimited news content and The Canberra Times app. Premium subscribers also enjoy interactive puzzles and access to the digital version of our print edition - Today's Paper. Login or create a free account to save this to My Saved List Login or create a free account to save this to My Saved List Login or create a free account to save this to My Saved List
