The Australian Labor Party has moved to formally enshrine support for Welcome to Country ceremonies in its national platform in response to the rise of One Nation.
According to a draft of Labor’s National Platform to be considered at the 50th National Conference, the party has adopted formal support for Welcome to Country ceremonies.
“Labor is proud of the symbols of First Nations people, including the Aboriginal flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag,” the draft platform says according to The Australian.
“Labor recognises the importance of Welcome to Country and Acknowledgement of Country ceremonies, as opportunities to show respect to First Nations people.”
The commitment was absent from Labor’s 2023 National Platform but has been inserted amid the rapid rise in support for One Nation.
The draft platform also said that the Labor Party was “very concerned by the rise of racism and of division” and would set up a national “anti-racism strategy”.
Labor’s revised platform also adopted the “principles of the Uluru Statement from the Heart” following the defeat of the Voice to Parliament referendum.
The broader platform contains several other notable changes, including a draft that removes explicit calls for Hamas to disarm and for the reform of the Palestinian Authority.
More than 2,000 delegates, including MPs, union representatives and party members, will vote on the platform on July 23.
The progressive policy platform comes as Labor has fallen behind One Nation in the latest Sky News Pulse / YouGov poll.
The most recent poll, conducted from June 23 to 30, showed One Nation on 30 per cent of the primary vote, ahead of Labor on 29 per cent.
Despite trailing One Nation on the primary vote, Labor would comfortably retain government, leading the Coalition and One Nation 54-46 on a two-party-preferred basis.
The results come after Ms Hanson sparked intense debate over national identity during her National Press Club address, where she called for a monocultural society.
During her address, she said that Australians should not expect a “divisive Welcome to Country” from her.
Ms Hanson claimed she would prefer to “acknowledge the men and women who have sacrificed their lives for Australia’s democracy and freedom”.
She added that Australia could not be a “multicultural society” but must be “monocultural”, living under “one umbrella”.
“We oppose entirely people coming into this country and bringing with them the troubles they have left behind,” Ms Hanson said.
She directly called out “Islamist groups” and said she would rid Australia of this “social cancer”.
“Coming to this country and ignoring our values, our language, our traditions, our dress and the fact that we are predominantly a Judeo-Christian society.
“One Nation is dedicated to fighting against radical Islam and the obvious threat it represents to the peace of our country and the safety of our community.
“I will not hesitate to call it out for being incompatible with Australian values and our way of life, for its hatred and its love of deadly violence.”
Ms Hanson said western civilisation and its values were “under siege” as hate preachers invade “some Sydney mosques”.
“I’ve seen too much footage on our TVs from what’s happening in Britain, Canada, France, Germany… I don’t want Australia to become like that,” she said.