Elders ban welcome to country ceremonies

By PETER ROWE

Elders from the Juru people in North Queensland have voted to ban Welcome to Country ceremonies taking place on their land.

Juru Elder and Chair of the meeting Randal Ross suggested at a meeting on Thursday the process had become a “business” and that it was being “abused”.

“We’re only speaking for our country and that’s why it’s important that we can see it well and truly being abused,” he told Bill McDonald on 4BC Mornings.

The Burdekin region is south of Townsville in North Queensland.

“It makes us feel embarrassed.”

Mr Ross told the radio station many elders from the Burdekin region, south of Townsville, had witnessed Welcome to Country ceremonies in the Burdekin from people who weren’t from the area who received money for performing it.

“Welcome to Country has become a business that supports certain individuals and that’s where they are losing the cultural insight about what the Welcome to Country’s are about,” he said.

“This is a stand that we are taking in our particular area, and I think it’s been long overdue.”

Indigenous leader Warren Mundine told Sky News he backed the decision to vote against the ceremony.

Warren Mundine told Sky News he backed the decision to vote against the ceremony.

“I support the Juru people’s vote to ban Welcome to Country,” he said.

“A nice, good idea has been overdone, it’s like everywhere you go, you have a welcome.

“On planes, before giving a speech, lectures, events, meetings, sports event, concert, dinner, presentations, breakfast, lunch, dinner, people are getting sick of it.”