Lower Eyre Council Removes Mandatory Acknowledgement of Country

The Lower Eyre Council in South Australia has voted 4-2 to remove its mandatory Acknowledgement of Country from meetings. The motion was brought forward by Councillor Neville Tresize, whose proposal stated that the ceremonial practice no longer carried its intended significance or impact.

Covering the southern tip of the Eyre Peninsula on the traditional lands of the Nauo and Barngarla people, the council area is home to approximately 6,000 residents. The decision to scrap the acknowledgement was enacted without prior consultation with local Indigenous communities.

Barngarla woman Emmalene Richards expressed concern regarding the sudden vote, describing the outcome as confronting. She stated that Indigenous people are being utilized as a political tool and warned that the measure could generate negative ripple effects following generations of work to establish the recognition.

Elder Jody Miller, a Nauo, Wirangu and Kokatha descendant and vice-chairperson for the Nauo Aboriginal Corporation, also described the decision as sad due to the lack of dialogue with traditional owners. He emphasized that the acknowledgement serves to highlight the past, present and future presence of Aboriginal people in the region.

Following the vote, one unnamed councillor remarked that the unconsulted decision reflected the rising popularity of conservative politics rather than any direct conflict with local First Nations people. Meanwhile, Indigenous residents indicated they remain open to discussing the matter with the council.