Kylie Lang: Welcome to Country ceremonies have become more divisive than conciliatory

Welcome to Country ceremonies have become more divisive than conciliatory and Australians have made their feelings clear, writes Kylie Lang.

The hugely popular NRL Magic Round kicks off this Thursday but will organisers reflect the opinion of the majority of Aussies and scrap the hugely unpopular Welcome to Country?

The code can’t afford another stuff up as happened ahead of the Storm-Rabbitohs clash last Friday.

The May 1-4 rugby league festival in Brisbane is all but sold out, however, after recent controversies it remains to be seen if the Indigenous ceremony goes ahead – and across how many games, if any.

So far, the NRL has not responded to questions from The Courier-Mail. Perhaps it is still deliberating – or wishing the whole matter would just go away.

Like a lot of people, I agree with Opposition Leader Peter Dutton who says Welcome to Country ceremonies are overdone.

That doesn’t make me racist or in denial about the atrocities meted out by the British against indigenous peoples or the injustices since.

Mr Dutton said in the final leaders’ debate on Sunday evening: “For the opening of parliament, fair enough, it is respectful to do, but for the start of every meeting at work, or the start of a football game, I think other Australians think it is overdone and cheapens the significance of what it was meant to do.”

The Storm players observe the Anzac Day ceremony, which went ahead without a Welcome to Country. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Anthony Albanese said it was up to organisations to decide for themselves but the ceremonies were “a matter of respect”. This is also true.

There was zero respect shown by neo-nazis who booed the Welcome to Country in Melbourne’s dawn Anzac Day service, but also zero respect when the ceremony was suddenly scrapped before Friday night’s game between the Storm and Rabbitohs.

The Storm later released a statement blaming a “miscommunication of expectations” for the cancellation and accepted the timing was not ideal.

Wurundjeri elder Aunty Joy Murphy was told just hours before kick-off that her performance was no longer required.

Then the club backflipped and asked her to go ahead. She declined, and two First Nations groups due to perform pulled out in protest.

What a mess.

The NRL – like other organisations – have some serious thinking to do.

A news.com.au poll confirms Aussies from across the country are on side with Mr Dutton and with Shadow Minister for Indigenous Australians Jacinta Nampijinpa Price who says people are “sick of it”.

One of the men shouting out abuse was known neo Nazi Jacob Hersant who was later spoken to by police. Picture: FACEBOOK

In fact, of the 50,000 responses to the question, “How do you feel about Welcome to Country ceremonies?”, 65 per cent said “they should stop completely”.

Only 4 per cent said “there should be more”.

What is clear from all of this unrest is that Welcome to Country ceremonies have become more divisive than conciliatory.

Australia is one country and we all belong.

[e-mail]

Originally published as Kylie Lang: Welcome to Country ceremonies have become more divisive than conciliatory