McCarthy slams Welcome to Country snub

Aboriginal Affairs Minister Senator Malarndirri McCarthy has called the right wing One Nation’s ‘stunt’ to turn their back on a Welcome to Country ceremony in the Senate this week as “disrespectful and unacceptable”.

“It’s rude, it’s disrespectful and that’s not how the Senate works,” Senator McCarthy told the ABC on Thursday.

Asked by the ABC’s Patricia Karvelas id the ceremony was a settled issue, Senator McCarthy said she didn’t think it would ever be settled, because of differing opinions.

“What was important was to remind Senators that we have a duty to the Senate to uphold, as Senator Wong said this week, to uphold democracy and the institutions of democracy in this country. And if we as Senators don’t do it, then why are we there?,” Senator McCarthy said.

“It really was about the conduct of the Senate and Senators, and it was important that we put on the record that all Senators in there are there to represent Australians and to do so with dignity and respect.”