Tea Tree Gully mayor refuses to read out ‘insulting’ Acknowledgement of Country statement
AN Adelaide mayor will no longer read out the council’s “verbose, overly longwinded and … very inappropriate” Acknowledgement of Country at council events.
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TEA TREE Gully Mayor Kevin Knight has refused to read out the council’s “insulting” Acknowledgement of Country at municipal events including citizenship ceremonies.
For the first time last Tuesday, Mr Knight handed over reading duties to Cr Sandy Keane at a council meeting in protest over a statement he believes is “insulting to the Kaurna people”.
Mr Knight believes the statement — which was first endorsed by the council back in 2008 — is “very verbose, overly longwinded and ... very inappropriate”.
More than two years after Mr Knight first raised concerns with the statement, the council’s Governance and Policy Committee declared last month the wording would remain as is.
The statement — initially developed by the State Government in consultation with Aboriginal stakeholders — acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which an event is held.
“It’s a bit of a backhander,” Mr Knight said of the statement.
“I’ve always felt it’s a bit longwinded. It doesn’t sit comfortably with me.
“It’s meant to be a simple statement, but it’s been turned into a mission statement.
“It’s not what an acknowledgment is supposed to be. It’s simply to say there were people living here before we (Europeans) came.
“I am at a loss to understand how they could have approved such a statement.”
Mr Knight admitted he initially “didn’t care too much” about the statement before he became mayor in 2014 but now says it “just doesn’t feel right”.
“I don’t like it,” he said.
“I think we’ve become too politically correct now (as a society).
“The more you say it (the statement), the more you diminish it. You can have four speakers (at an official event) saying it.
“There is no need to say it four times.
“I respect the intent of what we (the council) do, but it misses the mark on what it is supposed to do.”
He said council policy dictated the statement must be read at council meetings and formal events like citizenship ceremonies.
Reconciliation SA state manager Mark Waters said he had no issue with Mr Knight’s stance.
“When you read Acknowledgements of Country ... there are certain standards that you would want to see maintained,” he said.
“Anyone seeking to improve existing wording to meet those standards should be supported.”
The statement:
“The City of Tea Tree Gully recognises this city’s considerable natural and cultural heritage, including thousands of years of traditional ownership by the Kaurna people and the more recent contributions from all who live here. We build on this heritage today by respecting and listening to each other, being receptive to new ideas and acting wisely for the current and future well-being of our community.”