Lower Eyre Council scraps Acknowledgement of Country without notice
South Australia's Lower Eyre Council voted 4-2 to remove its Acknowledgement of Country without consulting local First Nations people.
Lower Eyre Council in South Australia has voted to scrap its Acknowledgement of Country. The decision came without warning to the community.
The council voted 4-2 for the motion. The council said the acknowledgement was ceremonial and no longer mattered.
The council covers traditional lands of the Nauo and Barngarla people on the Eyre Peninsula. Barngarla woman Emmalene Richards said the decision was upsetting and would hurt Aboriginal people.
Elder Jody Miller said the acknowledgement shows Aboriginal people were here, are still here, and will stay here. One councillor who voted against it said the decision shows the rise of conservative politics rather than any local dispute.
Lower Eyre is the fourth South Australian council to remove the acknowledgement since 2024.
- 4-2
- Vote count
- About 6,000
- Council population
- Nauo and Barngarla people
- Traditional owners
- Fourth since 2024
- Similar removals in SA
Why it mattersIt signals a shift in how local government recognises Indigenous people. Similar moves may happen elsewhere. This could change how Aboriginal people are acknowledged in civic life.
AustraliaSouth Australian councils are reconsidering protocols around Indigenous acknowledgement; this affects how First Nations people see themselves reflected in their communities.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 41 min ago
