An Indigenous leader has blasted No Voice voters and told guests they were on “stolen” land during a Welcome to Country at a taxpayer-funded event in Adelaide.
Kaurna elder Katrina Ngaityalya Power was delivering the Welcome to Country at a South Australian Industry, Innovation and Science breakfast at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday when she launched into what some described as a “rant”, leaving more than 400 guests shocked.
After the journalist and activist made her way to the stage, witnesses claim she told guests she “deserved” a better applause and said the event was being held on “stolen” land, according to The Advertiser.
Referencing the nearly 61 per cent of Australians who voted No in the referendum, Ms Power reportedly told guests “seven in 10 of you” didn’t want her to “have a Voice”.
She also said she could “understand” what it was like for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, and called for King Charles to be “dethroned”.
Liberal MP Ben Hood, who attended the event, told the publication it was “inappropriate for this kind of highly political commentary to occur at a taxpayer-funded event” and said it was a “huge shock that it was warmly welcomed” by Labor ministers.
A South Australia government spokesman told The Advertiser the government “does not script or vet the remarks of people delivering a Welcome to Country at government events”.
“In our liberal democracy, people are free to express their views.”
It’s not the first time Ms Power has been criticised over her controversial remarks.
In 2017, she made a reference to “slavery” and “invasion” during a Welcome to Country’ at an Anzac Day Dawn Service in Adelaide.
The following year she called former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull “Malcolm Cows***” at an International Women’s Day address.
She later refused to apologise saying, “I am not at all sorry and if the Prime Minister of Australia wants an apology he can wait 220 years”.