Why Woke “Welcome to Country” Fractures Australia’s Unity, By James Reed

The "Welcome to Country" ritual has become a fixture in Australian public life, from parliament sessions to school assemblies and sporting events. Marketed as a gesture of respect for Aboriginal heritage, it is often framed as a unifying acknowledgment of the land's original custodians. Yet, beneath its polished veneer lies a divisive practice that undermines national cohesion, casts non-Indigenous Australians as outsiders, and serves as a political tool rather than a genuine cultural bridge. Far from uniting the nation, "Welcome to Country" entrenches racial divisions, disregards democratic sentiment, and imposes spiritual and financial costs that alienate many Australians.

The ritual's core premise, that Australians must be "welcomed" into their own country, carries a profound and troubling implication: non-Indigenous citizens are perpetual guests, not rightful inhabitants. This framing contradicts the concept of a unified nation-state, where sovereignty rests with the Crown and all citizens share equal claim to the land. By suggesting that only Indigenous Australians hold an inherent connection to the country, "Welcome to Country" subtly dispossesses millions of Australians, many whose families have lived here for generations, of their sense of belonging. No one welcomes a homeowner into their own house; the ritual's logic casts non-Indigenous Australians as tenants on borrowed land, eroding the shared identity essential for national unity.

This narrative of outsidership is not a neutral cultural gesture but a deliberate challenge to Australia's legal and social framework. It fosters a hierarchy based on ancestry, where Indigenous Australians are positioned as the land's eternal custodians, while others are relegated to secondary status. Such a framework fuels resentment and undermines the principle of equal citizenship, replacing it with a racialised pecking order that breeds division rather than harmony.

Contrary to its portrayal as an ancient Indigenous custom, the modern "Welcome to Country" is a recent construct, emerging in the 1970s and gaining traction through tourism and political activism. While it draws on elements of Indigenous culture, its mandatory inclusion in public events is a far cry from organic tradition. It has become a performative ritual, weaponised to advance agendas like Indigenous sovereignty, treaty demands, and reparations. Far from a spontaneous expression of respect, it is a calculated political statement, cloaked in cultural symbolism, that seeks to reshape Australia's identity along racial lines.

This politicisation is evident in the ritual's relentless expansion. From major events to minor gatherings, its ubiquity feels less like inclusion and more like an imposition, driven by progressive elites who choose ideological goals over public sentiment. The ritual's proponents often dismiss criticism as ignorance or prejudice, yet their refusal to engage with dissenting voices reveals its true purpose: not unity, but control of the national narrative.

The Australian public is increasingly sceptical of "Welcome to Country." A 2023 Institute of Public Affairs poll found that 56% of Australians view the ritual as divisive, with only 17% believing it fosters unity. Even among younger, typically progressive demographics, opinions are split, reflecting widespread unease. This sentiment echoes the resounding rejection of the 2023 "Voice" referendum, where 60% of voters opposed a race-based constitutional body, signalling a broader backlash against identity politics and racial separatism.

The ritual's divisiveness stems from its reinforcement of a narrative that pits Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians against each other. By framing Indigenous Australians as the land's sole "original owners," it marginalises the contributions of all who have built and defended the nation. This narrative not only alienates non-Indigenous citizens but also risks fostering grievance among Indigenous communities, perpetuating a cycle of division rather than shared progress.

"Welcome to Country" often includes smoking ceremonies and other spiritual elements that clash with the beliefs of many Australians, particularly Christians, who make up over 40% of the population. Forcing participation in rituals that conflict with personal faith violates the principle of separation of church and state, leaving many feeling coerced or excluded. This imposition is particularly jarring in secular settings like schools or public events, where neutrality should prevail.

Financially, the ritual comes with a steep price tag, often thousands of dollars per performance. In 2022, estimates suggested that federal and state governments spent millions annually on these ceremonies, funds that could address pressing issues in Indigenous communities, such as education, healthcare, or infrastructure. Critics argue that this expenditure opts for symbolic gestures over tangible outcomes, further fanning public frustration with a system that seems more performative than practical.

The 2023 Voice referendum's defeat was a clear rebuke of race-based policies, yet the political class continues to double down on "Welcome to Country" and similar initiatives. This persistence ignores the democratic will, alienating Australians who feel their voices are disregarded in favor of progressive agendas. The ritual's proponents, often insulated in urban elite circles, seem oblivious to the growing resentment among everyday citizens who feel increasingly estranged in their own country.

This disconnect highlights a broader issue: the use of cultural rituals to wage a progressive culture war. By embedding "Welcome to Country" in every facet of public life, its advocates are not fostering reconciliation but entrenching a narrative of historical grievance that undermines the shared citizenship necessary for a cohesive society.

Australia needs a reset, a return to a national identity rooted in equality, shared values, and mutual respect. Instead of woke rituals that imply some Australians are less entitled to their homeland, public events should begin with a simple, inclusive statement: "We gather as free and equal citizens of one Australia," as George Christensen recommends. This approach honours all who have contributed to the nation, Indigenous and non-Indigenous alike, without privileging one group's ancestry over another.

True unity requires moving beyond divisive symbolism and focusing on practical measures to address Indigenous disadvantage, such as improving education and health outcomes. It demands a national conversation that respects democratic outcomes and values shared citizenship over racial hierarchies. By replacing "Welcome to Country" with a commitment to equality and belonging, Australia can forge a path toward genuine "reconciliation," as if that is needed, but if it is, one that unites rather than divides.

https://goodsauce.news/being-welcomed-to-your-own-country-not-controversial-says-pm/l

"Being welcomed to your own country not controversial, says PM

by George Christensen | 25 Jul, 2025 | Opinion

It was cold in Canberra this morning, 10 degrees and chilly. Inside the Great Hall of Parliament House, an Aboriginal woman, Ms Violet Sheridan, stood before the nation's elected representatives and delivered a Welcome to Country. As she spoke of ancestral spirits and sacred obligations, the stage was set.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took to the microphone and declared, with smug certainty, that Welcome to Country "is not controversial. Nor should it be."

That's when the mask slipped.

Welcome to Country isn't unifying—it's a divisive ritual that treats Australians like outsiders in their own land.

Albanese pretends it's harmless but it's a political tool designed to legitimise Indigenous sovereignty and undermine national unity.

This so-called "ancient" practice is a modern invention, now forced into every public moment—from classrooms to sporting events.

It's coercive, costly, and religiously loaded—smoking ceremonies aren't symbolic, they're spiritual and Christians are told to sit down and shut up.

Australians already rejected this race-based agenda in the Voice referendum; it's time to reset and start every event by affirming one shared, sovereign nation.

The mask slipped because outside, after that black armband theatre, politicians would march through a smoking ceremony on the forecourt of the parliament, ritually purified like actors in a performance none of them dared question. The symbolism was thick. The message? You are a guest here.

Let's be blunt: Welcome to Country is controversial. Deeply. It divides Australians by ancestry, not allegiance. And Albanese knows it. He just doesn't care.

He called it a "a hand warmly and graciously extended," a symbol of unity. But how is it unifying to be told, day in and day out, that you need permission to enter your own country? How is it respectful to redefine Australians as tenants on ancestral land they supposedly never had a right to?

This isn't some harmless courtesy. It's a rhetorical landmine, paving the way for treaty, reparations, land vetoes and perpetual grievance.

"Always was, always will be."

That's how the slogan goes. That the land upon which the nation of Australia was built has forever been and forever will be under Aboriginal ownership.

But that's not history. Rather, it's a political claim of ongoing Indigenous sovereignty, directly contradicting High Court precedent and undermining the very legitimacy of the Australian nation-state. The Crown's sovereignty is the foundation of our law. And yet we now begin our parliamentary business by implying it never existed.

And Albanese calls this uncontroversial?

Aboriginal woman and Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price put it best: "Everyone's getting sick of Welcome to Country." It tells ordinary Australians they're outsiders in the country they built, defended, and passed down through generations. The public agrees. Polling shows a clear majority now see these rituals as divisive.

A major poll of over 1,000 Australians conducted for the Institute of Public Affairs just last month confirms the shift: 56% of Australians now see Welcome to Country as divisive, while just 17% disagree. Fewer than one in three support the practice at events like ANZAC Day or sporting matches, and even among young Australians who normally support progressive fads, opinion is split.

Yet, despite the majority view, these rituals are conducted everywhere: before sports games, school assemblies, corporate webinars, and even weather forecasts. What used to be occasional is now obligatory. And like all forced rituals, its meaning has rotted into performance.

Let's not pretend it's "ancient" either. The modern Welcome to Country, body paint, didgeridoos, and scripted lines, is largely a 1970s invention, created by famous Australian Aboriginal Ernie Dingo and refined during the tourism boom.

And when we do these ceremonies, are we even sure that the so-called "traditional owners" are even the right one? Canberra's "traditional ownership" is disputed between Ngunnawal and Ngambri groups, proving how shaky the whole edifice is. Look to just about any region in the country and I can show you warring groups of Aboriginals who claim that they are the rightful "traditional owners" over the other mob who claim the same thing.

If you're Christian? Tough luck. Smoking ceremonies invoke spirits. They're religious rites, not "cultural displays." The Presbyterian Church has told its congregations not to participate. Yet we now open Parliament with them, as if the separation of church and state has been tossed into the firepit along with the gum leaves.

And the cost? It's not just spiritual. The whole Welcome to Country face is also financial. Freedom of Information documents show single ceremonies cost up to $6,600. Government departments are burning through taxpayer cash for smoke and theatre while remote schools rot and Indigenous literacy flatlines. One smoking ceremony could air-condition a classroom in Arnhem Land. But priorities, right?

Let's not forget: Australians already voted on this nonsense. In the 2023 Voice referendum, they overwhelmingly rejected the entire race-based agenda. Sixty percent said no. Every state bar the ACT—the same bubble that hosts Parliament—voted it down.

But none of that matters to the elites. It's not about truth. It's about control. This is coercive speech. Refuse to recite it and you're a bigot. Go along with it, and endorse a racial hierarchy where whitey is right at the bottom.

So when Albanese tells you there's no controversy, he's not speaking for you. He's speaking to Canberra, to the elite, to the bureaucrats and boardrooms who recite the lines without believing them.

What we need is a national reset.

Start our events with this:

"We gather as free and equal citizens of one Australia."
And then acknowledge those who have fought and died for our nation.

No smoke. No spirits. No submission.

That's unity. That's patriotism. That's truth.

And that, Prime Minister, is not controversial."