Welcome to Country?!

What a disappointment this thread was to read.

To the guy with the golf bag, drink bottle and other knick-knacks - possessing items found in a souvenir shop doesn't absolve you of your reflexive dislike and prejudice for an acknowledgment of the people and culture who were here first.

You may dismiss the notion of being a 'textbook' racist, as you admire a logo and clutch your drink bottle, but don't be mistaken - you're prejudiced and racist.

Next time you're chortling along to Sky News in the lounge, take a look around and note the likely total absence of indigenous people. There's a reason people there or on this forum are likely overwhelmingly white, male and older.

I look forward to your generation being referred to exclusively in the past tense.

DVDA, to read you say “ What a disappointment this thread was to read” I find understandable

To read you say “ I look forward to your generation being referred to exclusively in the past tense” I do not

I wish Qantas wouldn’t keep playing this political game they are a great airline maybe they should give thanks to all amazing Australian pioneer aviators some of the best in the world that made it possible for Qantas to be formed in the first place? and they should thank all the hard-working Australian’s that have built the best country in the world and the men and women that in the Armed Forces that fought and died to protect this country and our great democracy you should be proud of the hospitals and of the education that we have here some of the best universities in the world. it’s all these have made it possible for Qantas to be what they are today.

I wish Qantas wouldn’t keep playing this political game they are a great airline maybe they should give thanks to all amazing Australian pioneer aviators some of the best in the world that made it possible for Qantas to be formed in the first place? and they should thank all the hard-working Australian’s that have built the best country in the world and the men and women that in the Armed Forces that fought and died to protect this country and our great democracy you should be proud of the hospitals and of the education that we have here some of the best universities in the world. it’s all these have made it possible for Qantas to be what they are today.

You’re right asmidalia - QF are similar to a numbers of commentators above…

They should go the whole hog and do a proper smoking ceremony on each flight. That is an actual profound ceremony and not recently made up for virtue signalling purposes like acknowledgment of country and welcome to country.

I think you are confused, Ian. The welcome mat is to welcome VISITORS to your home, not to welcome yourself to your own home. I am not a visitor in my own country, and nor are you.

wHy Am I bEiNg WeLcOmEd To My OwN cOuNtRy.

Yawn. Hasn't that been done to death yet? Besides, its an Acknowledgment of Country.

Is the Boomer Brigade done complaining yet? No amount of whinging is going to change the fact this is what Qantas has chosen to do. Time to move on..

Ad hom attacks, sarcasm, not actually addressing the point. Good one.

Your point was addressed multiple times, by multiple posters. You've joined the party late and opted to reiterate the same comments as others have previously.

Just to clarify, this is an Acknowledgment of Country, not a Welcome to Country. Therefore, Qantas is acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, not welcoming you to it. I trust this assists with your concerns.

FYI

And while the national carrier will keep most things the same they were pre-Covid, Qantas has taken a few steps to make their airline more inclusive and Covid-safe.

Speaking to reporters today from Qantas’ first class lounge at Sydney International Airport, chief customer officer Stephanie Tully said passengers would start to notice a few little changes from next week.

Kicking off her speech with an Acknowledgement to Country, Ms Tully said that would be a feature from all Qantas flights from Monday.

“I’d like to start by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation and pay my respect to leaders past, present and emerging,” she said.

“Actually, (Acknowledgement) to Country is one of the things you’ll hear our crew doing once we restart as well, which is a new addition and something we’re really excited about.”

Thank you for that considered response.

Like it or not, you are an uninvited guest on Aboriginal land, where you are still a visitor...

Like it or not, you are an uninvited guest on Aboriginal land, where you are still a visitor...

Wrong - I was born here. We are all visitors to this Earth, and are just passing thru. All Of Us.

Yeah that is incorrect. Being born here, i ain’t no visitor.