What a farce it was in Canberra for the opening of Parliament… At least five different ‘Welcome to Country’ performances, including smoking ceremonies, were performed. The situation was compounded by Albo’s smarmy, soporific Acknowledgment of Country.

It has to end, as was beautifully expressed by Jacinta Price in her Senate speech.

Senator Price didn’t see the need for such rituals. She respects her Aboriginal and Convict Heritage, from both sides of her family. She went on to point out that we are all Australians, whatever our heritage may be.

The widespread use of ‘Welcome to Country’ in the general community always was and always will be an invention of Ernie Dingo in 1976 in Perth when a Māori Group refused to perform unless they received a ritual greeting. That it has become a staple of the Woke diet in this day and age is depressing, although not surprising.

Since the Voice to Parliament referendum result there seems to be a growing resentment in the community to its constant overbearing use as epitomised in the annoying and infuriating ‘Welcome to Country’ inflicted on Qantas, Jetstar, and Virgin passengers, so blandly, when landed and also in every public assembly no matter how small.

When it is thrust upon us at the start of sporting events that I attend, I follow Pauline Hanson’s lead and stand and turn my back to the performance. It is encouraging to see the number of fellow spectators who join with me.

There are certainly many greetings made by Aboriginal communities in different regions around the country. These should be respected as much as shaking hands or embracing greetings by other members of the Australian community and not sanctified.

The march of the Woke in this area is continuing apace.

Last year it was reported that a Christian Minister in Queensland, Dave Pellowe, had the courage to refuse to allow a ‘Welcome to Country’ at the beginning of his Christian Conference. For his efforts he was referred to the Queensland Human Rights Commission. Good on him for arguing his case that ‘you can’t mix Christianity … with something that is made up’.

Then there was the case of Lana Collaris, a Victorian Barrister, who stood up to the Victorian Bar Council.

She said the ‘constant repetition’ of these Acknowledgments of Country was sending a message that ‘sovereignty does not exist within the Crown’.

‘That’s what I’ve got an issue with. It’s wrong in law and it’s wrong in fact as well … the fundamental guiding principle of our Constitution today is equality of citizenship, and if you’re going to take a stand that’s different to that by making these repeated Acknowledgments of Country – which repeatedly chip away at that sovereignty – that I think Australians have an instinct, and they know that something is not quite right.’

In her article in the Australian, responding to fellow members of the Bars criticisms of her stance, she commented:

Acknowledgments of country are not about showing ‘respect’. They are political statements signalling support for a two-tiered system based on race. They have no place in the law, including in our courtrooms, and the average Australian instinctively knows this.

Also last year at the AFL Final between GWS and Brisbane the ‘Welcome to Country’ was delivered by a ‘cultural educator’ who lectured the crowd that ‘Welcome to Country’ wasn’t invented for white fellas but had existed for 250,000 years plus BC, which stands for Before Cook. Methinks he protests too much. It certainly wasn’t much of a welcome to the AFL Crowd.

It seems that since the Voice referendum the number of people objecting to being welcomed to their own country is growing, as demonstrated by the IPA’s recent polling which indicated that 56 per cent of the population thought that ‘Welcome to Country’ should cease being used. It’s time to leave ‘Welcome to Country’ in the regions for local Aboriginal people to greet people in their own traditional ways, should they so choose to do so.

In 1788 Governor Phillip and the First Settlers were welcomed by the local inhabitants. That there were clashes between the indigenous inhabitants and the newcomers, with transgressions primarily by the newcomers is indisputable. That the sins of the forebears should be visited upon their descendants is very disputable. As Jacinta Price pointed out to the Woke Press at her Press Club address during the Voice Referendum, the newcomers have brought a myriad of benefits, including medicine, literacy, and the rule of law to this country.

With the two Mabo cases and the Native Title Act, how much more do the Woke activists want? In the latest Australian Census of 2021, 3.2 per cent of the population identified as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, up from 2.8 per cent in 2016 and 2.5 per cent in 2011. Of those, many identify as Christian. A fair proportion of that 3.2 per cent, one safely could assume, would have both Aboriginal and European ancestors. With the Mabo decisions and the Native Title Act, the National Native Title Tribunal has recently prepared a map that demonstrates that roughly half of Australia is now Native Title Land and there is another 12 per cent that are claimed and are currently being assessed by the Tribunal.

Then there is the Aboriginal Flag that was designed in 1970 – not in 1070, 1770, or 1788 – by Harold Thomas. It is all very well for it to be used by the Aboriginal people, but to have it elevated, along with the Torres Strait Islander flag, and be used together at Australian government official functions, including a press conference in Beijing by the Prime Minister, really? Just like every other nation in the world, we have one national flag. Albo is free to adorn his cliff-top at Copacabana with as many flags as he likes, but not international conferences.

Rowan Dean had an interesting suggestion on Outsiders that of course we should acknowledge the contribution of our country’s first inhabitants as part of this nation’s history and culture by perhaps having one special day a year, like we do for Anzac Day and fly all of the flags high, have a public holiday and special celebrations. Sure, but let’s not divide our nation into tribes.

In the 70s, the left were fervently against apartheid in South Africa. Does it ever occur to them that that is what they seem to be advocating for in Australia? It would be fantastic but probably just wishful thinking, if we could put this attempted racial division behind us and embrace the lyrics of that song; we are one and we are many but we are all Australian.