General News
25 January, 2023
Councillors defer 'welcome' call
LODDON Shire would acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung as traditional owners of land in a move councillors have been told “can engender polarising opinions within the community”. Councillors on Tuesday debated a new policy for acknowledgment of...
LODDON Shire would acknowledge the Dja Dja Wurrung as traditional owners of land in a move councillors have been told “can engender polarising opinions within the community”.
Councillors on Tuesday debated a new policy for acknowledgment of owners and welcome to country. They deferred a decision and next week's Loddon Herald will report on the debate.
Community wellbeing director Wendy Gladman in a report to council said risk of polarising community “may be balanced through the provision of supporting background information to the community and ongoing cultural awareness training for council staff.”
Councillors were to decide on a new Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners and Welcome to Country Policy that stemmed from the action in the Loddon Aboriginal Community Partnership Plan 2019-2022.
Mrs Gladman said: “The review of the document has provided the opportunity to incorporate reference to traditional owners by name, and also to incorporate changes to language to align with current State Government guidelines.”
Some of the key changes from the previous document include:
Changing of the term ‘custodian’ to ‘owner’ to reflect the change in language at State Government level;
Changing from Acknowledgement of Country to Acknowledgement of Traditional Owners;
The inclusion of only the Dja Dja Wurrung people to be referenced by name, reflecting State Government guidelines indicating that a reference to a specific traditional owner group in an acknowledgement is completed for formally recognised traditional owners on the land where event is taking place; and
The ability for the person delivering the acknowledgement to include wording that relates to the event. For example a reference to the health equity gaps experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people may be included at an event being conducted in relation to health and wellbeing.
The updated policy says “council recognises Welcome to Country is a service and representatives should be appropriately remunerated for their time and commitment. The fee should be negotiated prior to the event with the representatives.”
“The practice of giving recognition to traditional owners is commonplace and is seen as an appropriate and respectful way of breaking down cultural barriers and progressing reconciliation,” the updated policy says.
The policy, recommended for adoption yesterday, would be for councillors, staff, consultants and contractors of council.
HOW THE DEBATE WENT - NEXT WEEK