Indigenous leader Noel Pearson warns Acknowledgement of Country risks overuse

‘Yes’ campaign leader Noel Pearson has argued a common act done to recognise Traditional Custodians during gatherings is at risk of “overuse”.

Indigenous activist and Aboriginal community leader Noel Pearson has argued the Acknowledgement of Country risks being overused, therefore watering down of their significance.

“I think we’re still in the learning phase … we ought to come to a consensus about when we use the welcome,” Mr Pearson said on radio station 2GB.

“I think we need to adopt a sensible approach to these things.

“When someone opens a meeting, that's fine, but often I see every speaker then subsequently does their own welcome, it cuts into the meeting, I can tell you.”

Mr Pearson’s comments followed a discussion about the frequent use of the Acknowledgement of Country by companies including Qantas.

“I think it’s an important development but we in Australia are still learning, we’ve got to adopt a sensible approach to rituals in our public life,” he said.

Aboriginal community leader Noel Pearson is one of the key leaders in the Yes campaign to establish an Indigenous advisory body to Parliament NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Mr Pearson also spoke about the upcoming Voice referendum, which would establish a new Indigenous advisory body to the Parliament, and rebuffed claims that the change was stoking division.

“I think the average Australian, every Australian, understands the idea of an advisory committee, that is not a frightening concept,” said Mr Pearson.

Asked whether those who cast a ‘No’ vote would be viewed as racist, Mr Pearson said they would “absolutely not”.

“This is our most sacred document as Australians, the Constitution, that’s why we’re so conservative about changing it, and that is how it should be. We should be very careful.”

“Ninety-two words are going to change. We need to answer all the questions Australians are going to have about that,” Mr Pearson added.

Australians will head to the polls to cast their vote to enshrine the advisory committee in the Constitution on October 14.

Voters will be asked to vote yes or no to a single question: A Proposed Law: to alter the Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Do you approve this proposed alteration?

Opposition leader Peter Dutton and opposition indigenous affairs spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price are at odds over a proposed second referendum. Picture: NCA/NewsWire Emma Brasier

The intervention comes as opposition indigenous affairs spokeswoman Jacinta Nampijinpa Price was revealed to be at odds with opposition leader Peter Dutton over his pledge to hold a second reconciliation referendum should the October referendum be unsuccessful.

Ms Price, who is a vocal opponent of the referendum proposal, refused to give her unequivocal support for a second referendum in an interview on Thursday night.

“There needs to be, obviously, further discussion as to a second referendum within party rooms and determinations made that bring everyone together in agreeance with that,” she said on Sky News.

“I’m all for process, and I’m very much consumed with the fact that we’re dealing with this referendum at the moment. And that, for me, is my priority.”

Originally published as Indigenous leader Noel Pearson warns Acknowledgement of Country risks overuse