Cumberland Council votes to continue Welcome to Country address
An outspoken Sydney councillor’s bid to axe the Welcome to Country has backfired as opponents blasted him for “dog whistling” and engaging in divisive “culture wars”.
NSW
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Right-wing Cumberland councillor Steve Christou has been blasted for his “shameful’’ move to axe the Welcome to Country at council’s events, with opponents slamming him for “grandstanding” instead of tackling grassroots problems.
The Libertarian councillor and independent Eddy Sarkis brought a motion forward at the council’s Wednesday night meeting that proposed to abolish the Acknowledgement of Country being undertaken at the council’s meetings and civic functions.
But even Cr Sarkis abstained from voting after a heated debate, leaving Cr Christou without a single supporter to bring an election pledge to fruition.
Cr Christou argued indigenous people only made up 0.6 per cent of Cumberland’s population of 250,000 and 64 per cent voted against The Voice to Parliament referendum in 2023.
“This was the highest in Australia because our residents want to be treated equally, and I’m here today standing up for equality,’’ he told the chamber.
“Let’s dispense with the myth that we are somehow attacking the indigenous people. Let’s dispense with the myth that all indigenous people want Welcome to Country.’’
But he faced a barrage of criticism after that.
Greens councillor Sujan Selventhiran delivered his own Welcome to Country.
Liberal Deputy Mayor Michael Zaiter hit out at Cr Christou for raising a motion that would not help the community.
“How is this getting our residents to lead a more sustainable life? I can’t see that,’’ he said.
“I know it’s boring to talk about roads, rates and rubbish but these are the things people want from us.’’
Labor’s Diane Colman issued a scathing attack on Cr Christou, and accused him of lacking serious convictions on the issue.
“In fact the mover of the motion has himself done an acknowledgment of country over 50 times in Cumberland Council events,’’ she said.
She added it was “the latest Salvo in his culture wars, dog whistling to his 3 per cent at the expense of the majority of the people in our community”.
“We know the mover has no concern for the community, bringing fear and division in his efforts to erase the existence of anyone who doesn’t fit his version of who is in and who is out.’’
In January Cr Christou also proposed to ban the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag from council properties but that was not discussed at the meeting.
Liberal Nadima Kafrouni-Saba urged the council to uphold the Welcome to Country, which was a “small but powerful step in fostering genuine relationships” with indigenous communities.
“Removing it would not only undermine the progress we have made but also the risk alienating those we seek to serve,’’ she said.
“The acknowledgment of country is not mere symbolism, it is a recognition of the traditional custodians of the land on which we stand.
“To remove this practice would send a message that the connection to this land is not valued in our council spaces.’’
Liberal Joseph Rahme shouted at Cr Christou for wasting time on federal issues.
“When you were mayor for four years you never spoke about this once … now you’re grandstanding,’’ he said.
“Quite frankly, I will not allow state and federal grants to be cut from our residents in the name of political grandstanding.’’
Labor’s Enver Yasar labelled the proposal “shameful”.
“This does not solve a single issue in our community,’’ he said.
In response to the barrage of attacks, Cr Christou insisted it was “not an attack on indigenous people” but the Welcome to Country “rubs our community the wrong way”.
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Originally published as Cumberland Council votes to continue Welcome to Country address
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