A Sydney councillor is making headlines with his controversial campaign to ban Welcome to Country ceremonies and remove Indigenous flags from his electorate.
Cumberland City councillor Steve Christou sparked debate after sharing his mission on Six News, calling the traditions “offensive” and “divisive”.
What’s Behind the Controversy?
Christou’s argument is that being “welcomed” to your own country is unnecessary and offensive, particularly when phrases like “never was, never will be, never ceded lands” are used.
He believes this creates a sense of division among Australians, making those who weren’t born Indigenous feel like they don’t belong.
As someone who has “worked, contributed, and paid taxes to make this country a better place”, Christou feels that it’s time to move beyond these ceremonies and unite under one flag.
A Broader Agenda?
The councillor’s push to scrap Welcome to Country ceremonies and Indigenous flags is not just about equality, but also about national identity.
He claims that the constant use of these ceremonies and flags is “virtue signaling” and has become “way beyond what it was meant to do”.
Christou argues that it’s time to focus on unity, rather than division, and that the Australian flag should be the only flag representing the country.
The Statistics
With an estimated 240,000 Australians living in the Cumberland area, less than 1% of the population identifies as Indigenous.
Christou believes that his campaign is “overwhelmingly” supported by voters, who are fed up with the “divisiveness” of these ceremonies and flags.
A National Debate
The issue has sparked a national debate, with Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton announcing that he would not display Indigenous flags during press conferences if elected prime minister.
Dutton’s stance is that Australia should be united under one flag, and that displaying multiple flags can create unnecessary division.
What Do You Think?
As the debate rages on, we want to hear from you. Do you think Welcome to Country ceremonies and Indigenous flags are an important part of Australian culture, or do you agree with Christou that they’re divisive and unnecessary?
Share your thoughts in the comments below.