Opposition leader Angus Taylor has drawn sharp condemnation from Indigenous leaders for labelling Welcome to Country ceremonies “overused”, after First Nations speakers were heckled at Anzac Day dawn services.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and veterans groups have described the disruptions as deeply disrespectful, warning they risk deepening social divisions while obfuscating the meaning of the centuries-old practice.
And in Australia’s far north, the Anzac Day weekend brings up a long-held legacy for the communities that live there.
The Torres Strait Islands are the birthplace of the only all-Indigenous Battalion that has been formed in Australia’s military history.
The group, later known as the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion, saw almost every able-bodied man in the region enlist during the Second World War.
Read more: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/torres-strait-anzac-day-indigenous-battalion-legacy/tzislfc37
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