A small regional council has sparked controversy by ditching its Acknowledgement of Country in favour of a more ‘inclusive’ statement.
Naracoorte Lucindale Council voted last week to replace the traditional acknowledgement that paid respect to the past and present traditional owners of the ancestral lands in South ‘s Limestone Coast region.
The opening prayer has also been scrapped following a recent review of council meeting procedures by mayor Patrick Ross.
Future meetings will start with an amended acknowledgment: ‘We acknowledge and respect our complex history. We welcome everyone to build our future together.’
Reconciliation SA slammed the move claiming it was an example of council ‘walking back progress’.
Cr Ross defended the change and dismissed arguments it showed a lack of understanding of the significant and important role of First Nations culture.
A local council’s decision to replace the Acknowledgment to Country has sparked outrage from reconciliation groups. Pictured are Invasion Day participants
Reconciliation SA slammed the move claiming it was an example of council ‘walking back progress’. A Welcome to Country performed at Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2023 is pictured
‘I was guided by the local government handbook, which makes no mention of Acknowledgment to Country,’ he told Daily Mail .
‘It was clear to me that everything we do as a council should be inclusive.
‘Around 25 per cent of our community were born overseas from countries such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and Syria so I saw no need for a prayer.’
The council reviews its meeting procedures every five years.
Cr Ross said the amended acknowledgement still recognises and respects past and present traditional owners of the ancestral lands.
He said he was surprised to learn that his’ little regional council’, which serves a population of just under 9,000, had made national headlines.
He insisted the community feedback had been ‘incredibly positive’, with the exception of an anonymous letter.
Reconciliation SA has expressed its deep disappointment and claimed the council’s move didn’t reflect the spirit of the region in engaging First Nations people.
Naracoorte Lucindale Council has replaced the Acknowledgment to Country with a more ‘inclusive’ acknowledgment
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‘When you remove Acknowledgements to Country and Elders, you remove visibility and you diminish the importance of First Nations in our country’s 65,000+ year history,’ chief executive Jason Downs said.
‘The elected members have now set a forward plan for division based on lack of awareness and understanding of Acknowledging Country.
‘Erasing the existence of a culture to keep things simple is not a good position for a region that relies on tourism nor a reflection on global awareness and embracing of the ESG framework for future investment and growth.
‘When individual ideology impacts on a community’s future and business growth there is cause for concern.’
The organisation offered to conduct a workshop with the council to provide ‘context, advice and perspective’.
Cr Ross said that he’s yet to personally hear from Reconciliation SA.
‘We would be delighted if Reconciliation SA made a delegation to one of our meetings,’ he said.
Naracoorte Lucindale is the latest in a host of South n councils which have amended its Acknowledgement of Country to a more inclusive statement at meetings in the wake of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum defeat
Northern Areas Council, 200km north of Adelaide, became the first in November to pass a motion to remove the official acknowledgement from meetings and remove it from official correspondence.
Mayor Patrick Ross (pictured) came up with the amendments after a recent review of meeting procedures