Latest news with #FlindersIsland
ABC News
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Coming up: Geraldine Brooks — Grief, a love story - ABC Religion & Ethics
One of our most cherished authors, Geraldine Brooks, goes to Flinders Island to finally grieve the sudden death of her husband. As a convert to Judaism, she ponders how other religions use rituals to help with healing. Coming up 6:30pm Sunday 30th March on ABC TV and anytime on ABC iview. Posted 17m ago 17 minutes ago Tue 3 Jun 2025 at 12:59am
ABC News
6 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Welcome to Country to stay after Flinders Island council rejects move to end Aboriginal protocol
Flinders Island councillors have rejected a motion to cease Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country at events the council is involved in. Councillor Garry Blenkhorn put forward the motion at the Tasmanian council's meeting on Wednesday, but it failed to get a seconder. Around 50 people, including many from Tasmanian Aboriginal communities, were present when the motion was put to the council. All those present were against the motion. In his councillor's report for putting forward the motion, Cr Blenkhorn said there had been "an increase in discontent throughout Australia" regarding the use of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country at public events. "The use of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country is seen as divisive, unnecessary and not contributing to reconciliation between Indigenous Australians and others," Cr Blenkhorn wrote. The motion was not discussed by council before the meeting and the community had not been consulted. Cr Blenkhorn has previously told the ABC he'd been approached by "well over a hundred people" on the topic and "for that reason presented the motion." Speaking at the meeting after the motion lapsed, Flinders Island Deputy Mayor Vanessa Grace said she was dismayed to read the motion. "While Cr Blenkhorn says he is representing up to 100 people's views and he's brought them all forward, such a significant change should have been brought to council for a workshop, discussion and collaborations with the community and the key stakeholders, the Aboriginal communities," she said. Denise Gardner, who represents the Cape Barron Island Aboriginal Association and Aboriginal people on Truwana/Cape Barron Island, was one of many in the public gallery who cheered and clapped after the motion stalled. "We were quite elated but not surprised at the outcome," Ms Gardner said. "We had half a dozen people fly over from Truwana Island to attend and had people on Skype watching the proceedings." She said many had been "flabbergasted" the motion was being put forward, especially during National Reconciliation Week. "It's just amazing that it would be a motion at what is quite a sensitive time for people when we're all trying to go forward," she said. "Flinders Council have done a lot of work with communities on Flinders and Truwana/Cape Barron to get work together, get on with business and work together on common causes and for the best part that has been happening. "We move forward on that." Flinders Island Mayor Rachel Summers said it was "a good move" of councillors to not second the motion. "Councillors spoke out in support of our community rather than the motion, so it was really good to see that," Cr Summers said. But she said the motion had caused damage. "Unfortunately, damage has been done out of this and I really hope council can work with our Aboriginal community, with the organisations that represent those communities and find a way to walk forward together." Cr Blenkhorn has been contacted for comment.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Time to move on': Flinders Island councillor pushes to scrap Welcome to Country
A councillor on Flinders Island in Tasmania has called for the end of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country, saying the ceremonies have 'served their purpose and it is now time to move on'. Flinders Island, part of the Furneaux Group in the Bass Strait off Tasmania's northeast tip, has a population of 800 people and the second-highest proportion of Aboriginal residents in the state at around 16 per cent. Councillor Garry Blenkhorn has put forward a resolution to be voted on at Wednesday's meeting for Flinders Council to 'cease reciting all references to Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country in any event or publication involving the council including, but not limited to, meetings of the council, meetings of special and subcommittees of the council, public meetings organised by or involving the council and the publishing and presentation of reports of the council including Annual Reports'. Mayor Rachel Summers told the ABC that she was disappointed Cr Blenkhorn had not raised the issue before submitting his notice of motion. She warned that the proposal would 'take us back 50 years, 100 years even'. 'It's literally 30 seconds, 60 seconds, when we just acknowledge the contribution the Aboriginal community has made over their time as custodians of the land,' Cr Summers said. The Palawa people of the Trawulwai Nation are recognised as the traditional owners of the Furneaux Islands. Flinders Island is also the site of the old Wybalenna Mission where Indigenous Tasmanians were sent in the early 1800s, many dying from disease and poor conditions. Cr Blenkhorn said there had 'recently been an increase in discontent throughout Australia regarding the use of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country at public events'. 'The use of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country is seen as divisive, unnecessary and not contributing to reconciliation between Indigenous Australians and others,' he wrote. 'I believe the two protocols have served their purpose and it is now time to move on. These protocols are not historical and have only existed for around 50 years … It is not a long-held tradition and should not be regarded as such.' Cr Blenkhorn highlighted the 2023 defeat of the Indigenous Voice Referendum by a 60-40 margin. Flinders Island recorded a slightly stronger yes vote at 45.6 per cent, but Cr Blenkhorn said the overall result was 'a vote against constitutional recognition for Indigenous peoples throughout Australia'. 'There can be many interpretations put on the result … but the major certainty is that Australians do not want separatist development,' he wrote. 'That is called apartheid. Many will recall or have read of the White Australia policy which was developed after World War II. We do not want to go back to those days where your future in Australia was determined by your race. Those days have gone and should never return.' Flinders Council general manager Warren Groves raised concerns about the motion, saying the Flinders Island Aboriginal Association Incorporated (FIAAI), the Cape Barren Island Aboriginal Association (CBIAA) and the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania (ALCT) were all 'strongly opposed'. 'I am concerned that any such action will cause potentially significant offence and affront to those associations and the communities they represent,' he wrote. 'An Acknowledgement of, or Welcome to Country, is a relatively short expression of respect, acknowledging, amongst other matters, the strong ongoing connection of the Aboriginal people to Australia for more than 40,000 years.' Flinders Council has used the Acknowledgement of Country since 2019, and in 2014 'took what was reportedly viewed as a progressive step, to support an inclusive celebration of being Furneaux Islanders on a date separate to Australia Day'. 'This change has since been widely celebrated for its inclusive and progressive perspective,' Mr Groves wrote. 'I have significant concerns that removing the Welcome to or Acknowledgement of Country from Council events may be seen as a retrograde step and offensive to our Aboriginal community, as well as reputationally and socially damaging for council both within and outside our island communities.' CBIAA chair Aaron Maynard told the ABC 'words can't really explain how disgusting and just how disrespectful this is to everyone'. 'Our people on this land in Australia are the oldest living race in the world at 65,000 years old, and we're still not celebrating that to our full capacity,' he said. Debate over the use of Welcome to Country ceremonies has grown since the Voice Referendum, with the Liberal frontbencher Jacinta Nampijinpa Price previously warning people are 'sick if it'. 'There is no problem with acknowledging our history, but rolling out these performances before every sporting event or public gathering is definitely divisive,' she said. 'It's not welcoming, it's telling non-Indigenous Australians 'this isn't your country' and that's wrong. We are all Australians and we share this great land.' Reconciliation Australia, the national peak body dedicated to reconciliation between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community, says the ceremonies are an important sign of respect. 'Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have experienced a long history of exclusion from Australian history books, the Australian flag, the Australian anthem and for many years, Australian democracy,' it says. 'This history of dispossession and colonisation lies at the heart of the disparity between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and other Australians today. Including recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in events, meetings and national symbols contributes to ending the exclusion that has been so damaging.'
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
Flinders Island councillor in push to stop Welcome to and Acknowledgement of Country protocols
A local councillor from Tasmania's Flinders Island wants to stop Welcomes to and Acknowledgements of Country at events the council is involved in — a move the Mayor says would cause division. Flinders Councillor Garry Blenkhorn said "Australians did not want separatist development" and that discontent with the Acknowledgement of Country was growing. "These protocols are not historical and have only existed for around 50 years." Flinders Council has included the Acknowledgement of Country in publications and events since 2019. Since 2013, the council — which covers the Furneaux Group of islands, including Flinders Island, off Tasmania's north-east coast — has also held an alternative celebration to Australia Day, which it describes as an "inclusive celebration of being Furneaux Islanders". In the lead up to the federal election, the merit of the welcomes to and acknowledgements of country was questioned by then-Opposition leader Peter Dutton and Senator Nampijinpa Price. Reconciliation Australia, the peak body for reconciliation with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, said they were "simple but profound ceremonies which allow Australians to express respect for traditional owners of the Country on which the ceremony occurs". "Long before the colonisation of Australia, under traditional protocols, when one group entered the land of another Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander nation, they would ask permission. The hosting group would welcome the visitors and offer them 'safe passage and protection of their spiritual being during the journey'," it said. The organisation rejected the suggestion that welcomes and acknowledgements were divisive. "In fact, reconciliation provides a strong foundation for a more unified society," a spokesperson said. Reconciliation Australia said they should be performed when organisers of meetings or events deemed it appropriate. "The regular positive response of [for example] sporting crowds to Welcomes to Country ceremonies indicates that many Australians welcome these ceremonies." It said in the lead-up to National Reconciliation Week, it was important to understand what the ceremonies represented. The Flinders Island community has the second-highest proportion of Aboriginal people in Tasmania. It is also the location of the old Wybalenna Mission, where Aboriginal people were exiled to in the 1880s, and where many died as a result of European disease and poor conditions. Flinders Island Mayor Rachel Summers said Cr Blenkhorn's proposal would cause division over what was "essentially a very brief" part of council events. "It's literally 30 seconds, 60 seconds, when we just acknowledge the contribution the Aboriginal community has made over their time as custodians of the land," Cr Summers said. She said she was disappointed Cr Blenkhorn had not raised the issue before submitting a notice of motion for Wednesday's council meeting. "Things like this which have real community impact should come to a [council] workshop in the first instance, and then we could have had that discussion. "And if he was saying that he wanted to put this motion forward, then we could have maybe done some community engagement," Cr Summers said. She said Aboriginal associations and the services they provided were "critical" to the whole community. In response to Cr Blenkhorn's motion, the council's general manager, Warren Groves, said the motion "could well be seen as difficult to reconcile" if supported and contrary to efforts the council has made to improve its relationship with the Aboriginal community and stakeholders. Mr Groves said he had recently spoken with the chief executives of the Flinders Island and Cape Barren Island Aboriginal associations and the Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania. He said "all three CEOs are strongly opposed to any proposed withdrawal of the Welcome to or Acknowledgement of Country from council proceedings". Cape Barron Island Aboriginal Association chair Aaron Maynard said the council told him about Cr Blenkhorn's motion. "Words can't really explain how disgusting and just how disrespectful this is to everyone," Mr Maynard said. "Our people on this land in Australia are the oldest living race in the world at 65,000 years old, and we're still not celebrating that to our full capacity." He said he would be attending the council meeting. Speaking on ABC Local Radio on Sunday morning, Tasmanian Aboriginal activist and lawyer Michael Mansell said the idea was "disappointing". "So, again, it's people who just have a very different view, and we need to tolerate that, but why they would try to destroy something that's very positive, and that people do want to participate in, is very hard to understand," he said. The motion will be debated on Wednesday. Cr Blenkhorn was contacted for comment.
ABC News
14-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
Dry conditions in Tasmania proving a challenge for farmers as water restrictions set in
In Tasmania's southern midlands, farmer Sarah Barrington has been testing out a new weather forecasting tool to track soil moisture on her property. But, heading into winter, she says the reading on the graph is "pretty grim". "Our graph is a graph that you don't want at the moment," she said. So far this year, the Apsley Park property has received just 90 millimetres of rain, compared with its typical average rainfall of 190mm. She said while she was remaining optimistic, the little rain in her gauge wasn't ideal. It's a familiar story for many farmers across the state. According to the Bureau of Meteorology, rainfall totals in April for most of Tasmania were below to very much below average. It was the driest April in the state in a decade. In its April summary, the BOM says most of the north-west experienced its lowest January to April rainfall levels since 1900. On Flinders Island, off Tasmania's north-east coast, water restrictions have been in place for Lady Barron in the south since February. TasWater was also monitoring the situation in Whitemark, the island's largest town, with potential for restrictions to be implemented there. Beef farmer Tom Youl, who has properties at both ends of the island, said despite a green tinge the moisture was only surface level. He said rainfall in the past week or so had taken some of the edge off, but it was still far drier than usual for autumn, for the second year in a row. Mr Youl said by this time of year typically, there would be between 100–150mm of rainfall. Instead, it's sitting closer to 60mm. On King Island, farmer David Munday said the impact from the lack of rainfall was evident. He said the bare levels of Pearshape lagoon in the island's south laid it out clearly. "The past four months, we've had 50mm of rain, which is unusual for the island," Mr Munday said. The remote north-west island endured its worst drought on record in 2024, which left farmers to make tough decisions with both mental and financial blows. Mr Munday said a solid spring last year had provided a buffer and a chance for farmers to prepare for the year ahead. But, he said the spring had come off the back of a very dry winter, with lingering impacts still evident. "There was a chap I asked last year, about September, October and how he'd gone in the winter and he said it was the 'best winter he'd ever had'," Mr Munday said. The reason for that, he said — "no mud". With only a couple of weeks of autumn remaining, Mr Munday said the community was relying on a wet winter but preparing for a repeat of the last one. Since February, stage one water restrictions have been in place for Orford and Triabunna on Tasmania's east coast, as well as Lady Barron on Flinders Island. Speaking on ABC local radio on Wednesday, TasWater head of infrastructure investment planning, Matt Jordan, said water levels were being monitored across the state with the potential for restrictions in additional locations. If conditions did not improve, stage one restrictions might soon apply to Oatlands in the Midlands, Adventure Bay on Bruny Island, Greater Launceston (including West Tamar, George Town and Hadspen), Mole Creek in the north, and Whitemark on Flinders Island. Mr Jordan said recent rainfall near Scottsdale had improved the situation for Greater Launceston, but water levels were still lower than expected for this time of year. He said it was a situation TasWater would continue to monitor closely. "It is very dry across the state," he said. "We rely a lot on the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts, and we don't see anything on the short-term horizon. On Flinders Island, Mr Youl is staying positive. "I'm confident we'll get through," he said. "There's green across the island. We've got everything we can get in place, in place."
