Australia’s largest-ever poll conducted on controversial “welcome to country” ceremonies has found 68% of respondents want the far-left performances stopped completely.
News.com.au, the country’s most popular online news site, ran the poll after Anzac Day dawn service attendees booed a “welcome to country” at Melbourne’s Shrine of Remembrance on Friday morning, and at the time of writing 109,532 readers had voted.
Asked “How do you feel about ‘welcome to country’ ceremonies?” 68% responded “they should stop completely”, 21% said “there should be less”, 8% said “there is the right amount, and 3% said “there should be more”.
The poll results reflect online sentiment after Anzac Day, and come after both Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton condemned the booing along with the entire corporate media.
And in Sunday night’s final leader’s debate on Channel 7, both major party leaders reaffirmed their support for the ceremonies when asked about them 30 minutes into the debate.
Moderator Mark Riley began by telling the pair the issue was one that “that I think you both can agree is a stain on our country” and asking Mr Dutton what he thought of “welcome to countries”.
Mr Dutton said he thought there was a “a sense across the community that it is overdone”, and Mr Albanese responded by calling them a “matter of respect”.
The Opposition leader was then asked if he would continue to include the ceremonies at major events, and he replied: “I think at the opening of parliament it is appropriate and at other very significant events of that nature, yes.”
Australian nationalist Jacob Hersant was among those who booed the dawn service “welcome to country”, which was conducted by aboriginal corporation employee Mark Brown.
Mr Hersant was arrested by after the event, and Victoria Police said they plan to charge him for alleged “offensive behaviour”.
Header image: Colin Hunter performs a “welcome to country” at the MCG on Anzac Day (Fox Sports).
