FIRST NATIONS ELDERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS JOIN HANDS AGAINST 'UNACCEPTABLE' MOTION

First Nations elders and community leaders at the town of Port Hedland Council Meeing

BY ASAD KHAN

Elders from Hedland Aboriginal Strong Leaders, Julyardi Aboriginal Corporation and other Aboriginal organisations attended the Town of Port Hedland Council meeting to send a collective message in response to a motion that calls on the removal of acknowledgment of Country and acknowledgement of Traditional Owner before the start of council meetings.

A motion was carried out that stated that no racial group should be recognised before the Council meetings.

Raylene Button, of Palyku and Kariyarra Country, was present at the meeting and voiced how the people have fought the Federal and State governments to earn their rights and acknowledgment.

Ms Button said we have had to prove our rights on this country and the continuance connection we have.

She said we have our areas of Country to which we always pay homage.

“We pay our respect to elders past, present and emerging,

“And yet for someone to say that they will dismantle and take away that, it feels like a kick in the guts,” she said.

She said that the motion should not even be up for consideration because we have been handed our determination as recognised people of this land and country.

Listen to Ngaarda Media’s Lead Journalist Asad Khan speak with Raylene Button: