Latest news with #toCountry
Daily Telegraph
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Daily Telegraph
Ex-PM Tony Abbott weighs in on Welcome to Country debate
Don't miss out on the headlines from Breaking News. Followed categories will be added to My News. Former prime minister Tony Abbott says what happened on January 26, 1788 was 'wonderful' in an interview denouncing Welcome to Country ceremonies. Mr Abbott shared that he had a 'fundamental problem' with Welcome to Country ceremonies and acknowledgements of country in an interview with Ben Fordham on 2GB radio. Mr Abbott believes they are an 'exercise in virtue signalling' akin to wearing masks during the Covid pandemic. Former prime minister Tony Abbott has said that what happened on January 26, 1788 was 'wonderful' in an interview denouncing welcome to country ceremonies. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman 'It's become a badge of political correctness,' he said. 'It's become a political statement – a bit like wearing masks became a political statement during the pandemic.' Mr Abbott said he had taken issue with the practice since it started on Qantas and Virgin flights. Uncle Mark Brown was booed and heckled at the official Anzac memorial in Melbourne. Picture: NewsWire/ Nadir Kinani 'I've found the notion of having country acknowledged when you land in Melbourne or Sydney or Brisbane absolutely grating,' he said. 2GB listener Vicki agreed with Mr Abbott, texting in: 'Last night, MasterChef did an acknowledgment or a Welcome to Country to kick off the show. 'This is a cooking show. Really?' she said. Mr Abbott said what happened on January 26, 1788 was wonderful and 'the beginning of the great country that we know as Australia'. 'It was the eruption of the modern onto an ancient continent. It's something to be celebrated,' he added. The conversation was prompted following controversy at Melbourne's Anzac Day Dawn Service, which was marred by booing from attendees during Bunurong elder Uncle Mark Brown's Welcome to Country. Earlier on Tuesday morning, Defence Minister Richard Marles weighed in on the debate, saying that while it is ultimately up to RSLs to decide to incorporate welcome ceremonies, he felt they were appropriate given Australia's 'rich and important Indigenous military history'. 'I don't have a problem with paying respect to Indigenous Australians, and it's as simple as that,' he said. Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said he felt welcome to country ceremonies were appropriate at Anzac events given Australia's 'rich and important Indigenous military history'. Picture: NewsWire/Tertius Pickard 'But what I don't think we should be doing is giving airtime or amplifying the exact message those people were putting forward in an utterly abhorrent way.' Reconciliation Australia says that incorporating a Welcome to Country or an Acknowledgement of Country into events shows respect by 'upholding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural protocols'. A Welcome to Country is delivered by traditional owners, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples who have been given permission from traditional owners, to welcome visitors to their country, whereas an Acknowledgement of Country can be offered by any person and is an opportunity for anyone to show respect for traditional owners. Originally published as Former PM Tony Abbott says Welcome to Country ceremonies 'grating'
ABC News
28-04-2025
- Politics
- ABC News
VIDEO: Costings and culture wars as last week begins
With just days to go in the election race, the Opposition took aim at Welcome to Country ceremonies and the Greens, while Labor unveiled a slightly-improved bottom line.
7NEWS
25-04-2025
- Politics
- 7NEWS
Sunrise's Nat Barr blasts ‘disgusting' protest at Anzac Day ceremony in Melbourne
Sunrise's Nat Barr has blasted protesters who disrupted Melbourne's solemn Anzac Day ceremony at the city's Shrine of Remembrance. Booing and heckling rang out across the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne during the Welcome to Country, in protest of the welcome being done at the event. Jacob Hersant, a self-declared neo-Nazi and the first person in Victoria to be convicted for performed the Nazi salute, was seen being led away from the shrine by police. On Friday, Barr blasted the actions, saying it was not a time to protest. 'That is disgusting ... Save your protests,' Barr said, condemning the behaviour. 'Today is not the day.' Just moments earlier, Sunrise's Melbourne reporter Teegan Dolling was speaking about the interruptions, as Bunurong elder Uncle Mark Brow was paying his respects to the traditional owners of the land. 'Boo. Boo. What about the Anzacs?' the heckler yelled. Similar sentiments came from several crowd members at other moments throughout the morning, as various speakers took the stage. A group of about six to eight men interrupted the ceremony. They were standing close to the front of the crowd, so their voices were picked up by microphones and could be heard over speakers. Dolling explained the hecklers left a number of people at the ceremony somewhat startled. 'It was a bit startling. It is not something I have ever heard at a Dawn Service before. Speaking to a few people inside currently underway up the hill there, say it was quite concerning,' Dolling said. 'There is a huge police presence here this morning. The Dawn Service continued. It has been a touching service, as it always with Margaret Gardner making wonderful remarks about the diggers.' The man can also be heard attempting to justify his comments by saying his beliefs were shared by Australia's diggers, declaring 'the Anzacs were racist'. He can be seen smirking in the footage as shocked crowd members attempted to silence him, calling him 'ignorant' and telling him to 'shut up' and 'show some respect'. Opposition leader Peter Dutton later slammed the stunt. 'We have a proud Indigenous heritage in this country and we should be proud to celebrate it as part of today and we should always remember too and remind ourselves as we did at the Opera House last night that Indigenous Australians played a very significant part and still do today in the ranks of the Australian Defence Force,' Dutton said after an Anzac Day service in Queensland. 'We should never take for granted what we have in this country and the work of the diggers fighting the Nazis and fighting tyranny and autocrats, that's what's kept us safe.' The man was asked to leave the Shrine of Remembrance, Victoria Police said. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan strongly condemned the 'hateful disruption'. 'A neo-Nazi disrupting this day is appalling — it has no place here,' Allan said. 'Anzac Day honours the values our Anzacs lived and died for: courage, loyalty, mateship, and sacrifice. Those who booed in the dark showed they have none of these qualities. 'To pierce the sombre silence of the Dawn Service is more than disrespect — it dishonours all who have served, fought and fallen. 'And to boo the Aboriginal servicemen and women who served our nation shows ignorance, hatred, and a complete lack of respect — for them, and for everything Anzac Day stands for. 'Anzac Day is a time to unite, reflect, and remember. Today and every day, we honour every Australian who has served the nation we are so lucky to call our home.'
7NEWS
24-04-2025
- Politics
- 7NEWS
Anzac Day dawn service marred by ‘horrific' outburst during Welcome to Country at Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance
There was an unfortunate disruption during a contemplative Anzac Day dawn service on Friday morning. Booing and heckling rang out across the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne as a Welcome to Country was taking place. Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Bunurong elder Uncle Mark Brown was opening the service by paying respects to the traditional owners of Australia, and acknowledging their continuous and unbroken connection to country, when a voice in the crowd cried out: 'It's Australia.' 'Boo. Boo. What about the ANZACs?' the heckler yelled. Similar sentiments were spewed from several members of the crowd at a number of other moments throughout the morning, as various speakers took the stage. There was a group of about six to eight men who interrupted the ceremony, Sunrise understands. They were standing close to the front of the crowd, so their voices were picked up by microphones and could be heard over speakers. Far-right extremists were understood to be in the crowd, and phone footage from attendees captured a young man who can be heard saying that he is 'standing up for white Australia' and repeating the phrase 'Australia for the white man'. The man can also be heard attempting to justify his comments by saying his beliefs were shared by Australia's diggers, declaring 'the Anzacs were racist'. He can be seen smirking in the footage as shocked crowd members attempted to silence him, calling him 'ignorant' and telling him to 'shut up' and 'show some respect'. Attendees described the outburst as concerning, and Sunrise host Nat Barr slammed it as 'disgusting'. 'It was horrific to have those people here booing, I though that was absolute disrespect,' one attendee told Sunrise. Police have interviewed a 26-year-old man from Kensington about what they described as 'offensive behaviour' and will proceed with a summons. The man was asked to leave the Shrine of Remembrance, Victoria Police said. Further north, in Sydney, rain fell on the cenotaph in Martin Place as dignitaries and representatives marked the 110th anniversary of the landing at Gallipoli during World War I. Former Air Force warrant officer and Aboriginal elder Harry Allie welcomed attendees to Gadigal country and touched on Indigenous Australians' history within the defence force. 'As Indigenous Australians were not of European descent, they were exempt from military service during the time of World War I,' he said. '(But) it has been estimated that up to 1000, perhaps more, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people came forward to enlist ... it is not known what motivated Indigenous Australians to enlist but loyalty and patriotism without doubt played a part.' New Zealand's contributions to the fighting forces were also marked, including through a performance of the traditional Maori hymn Song of Sorrow.
The Age
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The Age
Peter Dutton speaks after Welcome to Country booed at Melbourne dawn service
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton speaks after a Welcome to Country was booed at Melbourne's Anzac Day dawn service.
