Hills Councillor Brooke Collins questions if indigenous ancestors could have wiped out another race
A Sydney councillor has outraged residents after suggesting indigenous Australians could have wiped out another race in a spat with a resident who asked if he would consider supporting a Welcome to Country before meetings.
Hills Shire
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A Western Sydney student nurse said she was “shocked and appalled” after a Liberal councillor suggested Aboriginal ancestors could have wiped out another race “when they arrived here 70,000 years ago”.
The majority of elected representatives at The Hills Shire Council have rejected the notion of an Acknowledgement of Country during council meetings over several terms — despite community campaigns calling for the practice to be introduced.
An outcry for equity across the globe following race rallies in the United States, European cities and at home prompted Hills resident Mikaela Sinclair to write to Cr Brooke Collins, asking him to consider the inclusion of an Acknowledgment to Country at council meetings.
“The time is now for change,” she said in her email. “Our indigenous population has also lived through hundreds of years of atrocities and are still fighting to overcome racism and racial profiling today.
“It is my belief that this gap needs to be bridged and that this is a wonderful way to get that bridge started.”
However, Cr Collins responded, telling the Hills resident he refused to “single out one race”.
“We are all equal and what you suggest just divides us more,” he said. “If you were to suggest we should also acknowledge people bought against their will from England in 1788, and European settlement for making our country what it is today plus those who fought and died for us, then yes I would agree.”
Despite claims he has been misrepresented in the correspondence with the local resident, Cr Collins went on to suggest in the emails indigenous Australians “turned up on our shores unannounced”. “Yes they were the first here, however they lived a very nomadic life, unlike the life you lead now,” he said.
“You may want to find out where indigenous people originated from and it wasn’t here in Australia.
“How do you know they didn’t wipe out another race when they arrived here 70,000 years ago?”
Following the release of the emails, Cr Collins said he “had no issue with acknowledgment” as long as European settlement and Military personnel were also paid tribute to.
“I feel it divides us,” he said. “I feel strongly about inclusion for everyone no matter who you are.”
Another Liberal Cr, Mike Thomas told residents in an email the council “made the decision to treat all people equally”.
“We do not give exclusive recognition to any one group,” he said. “This is a long held position widely supported by our community with a few exemptions.”
But other sources inside council told NewsLocal they didn’t support the comment made by councillors to constituents.
MORE ON ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
HILLS RESIDENTS PETITION FOR COUNCIL TO ACKNOWLEDGE TRADITIONAL OWNERS
Labor councillor Ryan Tracey called for Cr Collins, who is also employed by Hawkesbury State Liberal MP and Hills councillor Robyn Preston, to tender his resignation following the now viral spat.
“The Liberal Party need to intervene here and make an example of this,” he said. “This is not the way you should speak to your constituents — he has crossed a line.
“This is a reoccuring issue at The Hills Shire Council and these comments are, unfortunately, not new.”
Hills Shire Mayor Michelle Byrne and The Hills Shire Council were contacted for comment.