Government Officials Expose Major Problem Over Continued ‘Recognition of Land’ Ceremonies Before Meetings

A social media user has complained about the continued Recognition of Land ceremonies before meetings at a forum for government officials.

“Is anyone else tired of recognizing their country before every meeting?” they shared on the AusPublic Service Reddit.

‘I have several meetings a day and at every meeting someone makes an acknowledgment for the country.

“It feels ridiculous and a waste of time right now. I have to look away so I don’t roll my eyes. How do you feel about hearing this five to six times a day?’

Most people who responded said they had had enough of practicing.

‘We have to open our team meetings with it. It feels perfunctory and fake,” one person wrote.

‘Yes. It’s pointless and insulting,” was another response.

‘Everyone knows that these are empty words at the moment. Not sure who to fool,” said another.

A common objection was that it had little practical effect.

Recognition of land rituals, showing respect to tradition owners (depicted a welcome ceremony to the land)

“Indigenous Australians need action, not token words,” was the most upvoted comment in the thread.

“I know a guy who was given an exemption by the local elders not to have to say it at official events,” said another response.

‘His reasoning was that it was tokenism and he didn’t believe it helped local communities.

“The elders agreed with him and (gave) him written support.

“The heads of the social justice warriors almost exploded when he told the organization he wouldn’t do it anymore, but there was nothing they could do given his exoneration. Pretty funny stuff.”

However, the training had some defenders.

“I don’t have a problem with it, but at times I felt like it was being trivialized,” one Reddit user wrote.

“A few years ago I did one before I ran a workshop type thing and at lunch one of the guys in the room, an older Aboriginal gentleman, came up and said he appreciated it.

A Reddit user has complained that his workplace acknowledges receipt for every meeting (stock image pictured.

“I’ve felt good about doing it ever since. Maybe some people will be bored, but for some they might find meaning in it.”

Another Reddit user said a former workplace had “a culture of doing it right.”

“Everyone who spoke it researched the country they were in and then linked it to a fact, a piece of history, the culture they learned, or added something indigenous to the presentation we did,” the user said .

‘This also trickled down to smaller gatherings.

‘It’s entirely possible to make it a real and positive experience for everyone. And it’s important to our First Nations people that we keep this going.”

Others condemned the thread.

“So, get over it,” someone replied.

‘Hard pill to swallow: this country is so racist. The approach in this thread is ridiculous. And these are people in government service!’

Although the original poster insisted that this happened before every meeting at his workplace, this was not everyone’s experience.

“Honestly, it seems to have died down a lot within my agency since the Voice vote failed,” one Reddit user wrote.

One person took a more pragmatic approach.

“If they keep paying me to sit through them, I’ll sit there for as much as they can make,” they wrote.

“Especially when food is provided.”