Pauline Hanson calls for ban on Welcome to Country ceremonies

Senator Pauline Hanson has weighed into the Welcome to Country controversy, stating Australians “are sick and tired of them”.

Pauline Hanson has called for an end to Welcome to Country ceremonies after a divisive version was conducted on the weekend.

Aboriginal Elder Brendan Kerin performed an unusual Welcome ahead of the AFL semi-final between GWS and the Brisbane Lions at Sydney’s Engie Stadium on Saturday night, sparking widespread debate.

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Typically held before sporting and other events, the Welcome to Country ceremony is intended to welcome all visitors to the land they have gathered on, rather than welcoming people to Australia itself, as Kerin tried to explain.

He also added other unique aspects to his speech, stating the ceremony was not “invented to cater for white people” and Aboriginal people have been conducting the ceremony “for 250,000 years-plus”.

Pauline Hanson and Brendan Kerin. Photos: NewsWire/Fox Sports

He declared that time frame was “BC and the BC stands for Before Cook”, referencing explorer Captain James Cook.

On Monday, polarising One Nation senator Hanson penned a long post on X to her 135,000 followers calling the ceremonies “racially divisive” and declaring her belief Australians are “sick and tired of them”.

“As I have said in the past, these Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country performances are one of the most racially divisive features of modern discourse in Australia,” the 70-year-old began.

“Australians are sick and tired of them. They are sick of being told Australia is not their country, which is what these things effectively do.

“Welcomes and acknowledgements deny the citizenship and sovereignty held equally by all Australians and they need to stop.

The Giants lining up during last Saturday’s pre-match ceremony. (Photo by Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

“I recall the promise made by leading voice campaigner Marcia Langton who promised no more ‘welcomes to country’ if the voice was rejected.

“Sadly, this promise has not been delivered.”

Langton, a writer, academic and activist, wrote a book entitled The Welcome to Country Handbook in 2023 and was a leading proponent of the failed Voice to Parliament referendum.

In April last year, Langton told The Australian newspaper if the Voice failed, “the answer is going to be no” if she was asked to perform a Welcome to Country in the future.

People have since used those comments to declare Langton promised the ceremony would no longer be performed at all.

Hanson concluded her post by stating: “Australians should not be forced to participate in or be subjected to these divisive performances.

“Enough is enough.”

Professor Marcia Langton. Photo: Supplied.

For the record, this writer has heard countless Welcome to Country ceremonies before sporting events and the vast majority are observed respectfully and applauded once they are completed.

Hanson’s post has received over 4,000 likes and 600 retweets, with the majority of the 300-plus comments from her followers agreeing with her stance.

Kerin, who received warm applause after his speech, also played a short piece on a didgeridoo before the National Anthem was sung by Mimi Velevska.

The unusual approach to the Welcome to Country divided opinion on social media.

“Really good, informative Welcome to Country tonight,” was one comment.

“Welcome to country is a disgrace. Woke joke. Australia has fallen,” was another angry response.

Another wrote: “Hahaha “Before Cook” welcome to country was on tonight.”

A fourth stated: “This welcome to country will have annoyed all of the right people.”

Another observed: “What a friggin disgrace. Referring to BC as Before Cook and then lecturing everyone.”

The Welcome to Country ceremonies are commonly performed at sporting and other Australian events. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Collingwood great Tony Shaw also offered his take on the situation, swiping at the AFL over the Welcome to Country and the decision to fine Port coach Ken Hinkley $20,000 following his verbal stoush with Hawthorn players on Friday night.

“What a weak politically correct organisation the AFL is,” Shaw wrote on X on Sunday night.

“$20k fine for verbal taunts same as actual physical contact. The political decisiveness (divisiveness) of welcome to country last night was embarrassing but any public rebuke?”

His comment about “physical contact” has widely been interpreted as a reference to Giants football boss Jason McCartney bumping into Sydney player Tom Papley.

The Giants were also fined $20,000 over that incident.

However, it is the comment about the Welcome to Country that raised the most eyebrows with his post flooded with comments supporting his position.

Veteran NBL coach Brendan Joyce was one of those that commented.

“100 per cent Tony,” he wrote. “Huge embarrassment all round over the weekend.”

Tony Shaw (centre) also hit out about the ceremony. Photo: Michael Klein

Channel 9 Footy Show host Tony Jones also called out the AFL over the Welcome to Country performed on Saturday.

Jones said on 3AW the Welcome was “counter-productive” and “creating divisions”.

“There’s a problem and the AFL must address this or at least discuss this morning in their review of the weekend,” he said.

“This is an observance, but during Saturday night’s Welcome to Country there was laughter through it and I’ll tell you why because these welcomes should not be personal agendas.

“They shouldn’t be there for political statements. I’m not sure whether the AFL vets the scripts or maybe they will as of now.

“If this is all designed to sort of unify Australia, I think it’s creating division when we see or hear welcomes like that.”

News.com.au has contacted the AFL for more details about the Welcome to Country ceremonies performed at footy matches.