What does it really mean to be Welcomed to Country?

29th May 2025

The booing during the Welcome to Country at this year’s Anzac Day ceremony at the Melbourne Shrine of Remembrance, followed by a wave of misinformation, stirred strong emotions across the country. With the then upcoming election, these incidents carried even more weight, highlighting ongoing divisions and the need for meaningful dialogue.

The truth behind the misinformation  

The backlash against Welcome to Country is not just about ceremony – it’s about Indigenous cultural visibility. Misinformation is driving the debate, including;

The false claim that it is divisive – in reality, it is a generous invitation to share and respect Country.

The cost argument – some say it’s a ‘multi-million-dollar’ induistry, yet over two years, only $450,000 was spent by federal agencies – compared to the $10 million allocated for Australia Day events in a single year.

The idea that it’s a modern invention – in truth, it has existed for tens of thousands of years as a protocol for seeking permission to enter another group’s land.

We have been talking about it a lot at Evolve and here is what Aunty Munya has to say:  

‘One of the biggest misrepresentations is that it is a Welcome to Australia, but it isn’t. The Aboriginal-English word “country” does not refer to a nation state like Australia or America. Instead, it relates to the specific tribal lands or region of a particular First Nation. Thus, a Welcome to Country is not a Welcome to Australia. It is a Welcome to a specific tribal territory. 

When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples offer a Welcome to Country, they are not asking for anything. Rather, they offer an invitation to share in an age-old tradition. It is so much more than a mere welcome. It is a prayer and a blessing to provide you with safe passage.

Ultimately, a Welcome to Country is about extending the hand of friendship in a generous act of Reconciliation. Time will not bury our cultural traditions. They will exist as long as we continue to exist as a people. We will not be erased. We will survive. 

An Acknowledgement of Country, on the other hand, is about seeing us, respectfully, as the First Peoples of this country. You cannot imagine how powerful this gesture is for people who have been historically marginalised on the fringes of Australian society for a long time.

I dream that someday all Australians will fully embrace and respect the Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country as the beautiful, magnanimous, spiritual acts that they are.’ 

What struck Aunty and I most has not only been the headlines, but the many who stood up and refused to stay silent. Let's focus our attention on that. 

First Nations leaders like Aunty Joy Murphy, Michael Mansell, and the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria spoke clearly about the true meaning of Welcome to Country. They reminded us that this is not about division. It is about recognition and relationship. 

Allies raised their voices too. Commentator Carrick Ryan asked, if we respect the traditions of other faiths, why do we struggle to show the same respect here?

And maybe most powerful of all was the response of others in attendance at the Anzac Day ceremony:  

‘The actions of that very small minority were completely disrespectful to veterans and the spirit of Anzac Day. In response to that, the applause of everybody else attending drowned it out and showed the respect befitting of the occasion.’ Robert Webster, President, RSL Victoria.

Many of our Allies continue to show up – sharing thoughtful posts, amplifying First Nations voices, and speaking to the heart of what Welcome to Country is really about.

We know that misinformation and myths about Welcome to Country continue to fuel misunderstanding and many Allies have asked, what can we do? How do we respond meaningfully? 

Our answer is this: Keep the focus on what Welcome to Country truly means. Help others understand why it matters. It starts with learning. It continues through conversation. It takes courage to speak up, but every voice makes a difference.  

Anggirriya Mangalinyan

‘Together as Allies’ in Bardi Aboriginal Language.

The ALA thanks Carla Rogers and Aunty Munya Andrews for this contribution.

Evolve is a proud Indigenous business, Supply Nation Certified and NSWICC Assured.

This is an edited version of an article first published by Evolve.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are the authors and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the Australian Lawyers Alliance.

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Authors

Aunty Munya Andrews, Director, Aboriginal Elder and Cultural Educator

Aunty Munya is an Aboriginal Elder originally from the Kimberly region of Western Australia. Despite a socially disadvantaged background and not speaking for the first five years of her life, Aunty Munya has beeen an accomplished and influential voice for her community. As a public speaker, she is sought after in Australia and abroad.

Educated in Australia and the USA, Aunty Munya has degrees in anthropology and law. She has practised law in Victoria and NSW as a solicitor and barrister, including as a legal academic at the University of Melbourne and Southern Cross University, teaching Indigenous legal subjects.

As an Elder, Aunty Munya has learned to work and live in two worlds. Her dream is to bring them closer together, and cultural awareness is an invaluable tool in the process.

Carla Rogers, Director, Learning Designer and Ally

When most of her friends were having their gap year in Europe, Carla set off for the remote Kimberley, inspired by a longstanding desire to learn from our First Nations people. It's a journey she's still on today.

A Churchill Fellowship in 2001 led to her founding Evolve in 2005, before joining forces with Aunty Munya in 2011 to focus on Close the Gap between black and white Australia.

A highly-respected community engagement specialist, program designer and facilitator, Carla makes sure that participants at Evolve's training sessions don't just leave more aware of other cultures and of themselves. They also go back to work ready to use time-tested leadership and communication skills - skills that have never been more important.

Layering the wisdom of the Elders over a world-class facilitation framework has resulted in award-winning solutions. Carla is driven to inspire her fellow non-Indigenous Australians to become passionate and effective Allies to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.