Libs ramp up calls to axe Welcome to Country

Opposition Indigenous Affairs spokeswoman Senator Jacinta Price has again called for a review of Federal funding for Welcome to Country ceremonies if the Liberal Coalition is elected to government later this year.

Senator Price said a Coalition government would cut government waste and realign spending “with the priorities of everyday Australians”.

“It also means auditing the billions of dollars that are spent for the supposed betterment of Indigenous Australians but are not making meaningful progress so that we can actually start getting outcomes for our most marginalised Indigenous Australians,”she said.

“Welcomes to Country may well have their place, but we cannot place them at the top of our priority list when everyday Australians are struggling to pay their energy and grocery bills,” she told the Sydney Daily Telegraph.

A spokeswoman for the federal government said the ceremonies were important in respecting a ‘commitment to reconciliation’.

“This is a powerful message to convey about Australia, particularly to visitors from the Pacific, who place a strong emphasis on traditional custom and respect for the knowledge of elders,” the spokeswoman said.