Local Wiradjuri elders have labelled controversial senator Pauline Hanson's Senate walkout during an Acknowledgement of Country this week as "ignorant" and "disrespectful".
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Senator Hanson walked out of the parliamentary chamber during Wednesday's acknowledgement of Canberra's First Nations people by Senate president Sue Lines, shouting: "No, I won't and I never will".
Wiradjuri elder Aunty Mary Atkinson said she was disappointed by the Queensland senator's actions, which were in part a protest against the displaying of Indigenous flags in the Senate, but not surprised.
"It was very disrespectful for a start," she said.
"We're trying to be a country that's a part of reconciliation and that's just put a downer on it.
"We as Aboriginal people are pretty used to her reactions to things like that, so it didn't surprise me at all."
Aunty Mary said Senator Hanson's behaviour endorsed a lack of respect towards Indigenous Australians.
"It's just her way of saying that if you want to stand up against this, you've got a right to and to be that disrespectful," she said.
Defending her public walkout in a video to supporters, Senator Hanson stated: "As far as I'm concerned, I have as much right to this land as any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander".
A response which Aunty Mary said falsely characterises the importance of an Acknowledgement of Country.
"That's just feeling like ignorance and hatred towards people," she said.
"Aboriginal people are not about taking all that away from people - we know that everybody's Australian.
"But you need to acknowledge and pay respect to what has happened throughout history, through colonisation."
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Wiradjuri elder Aunty Cheryl Penrith shared a similar disappointment in Wednesday's "ignorant" walkout.
"It doesn't take much to acknowledge traditional owners," she said.
"To not have respect for people is really disappointing."
However, Aunty Cheryl said the landscape surrounding Senator Hanson's actions have changed for the better.
"I think it's done a lot of damage to her because a lot of the stuff I've seen is people being disappointed with her," she said.
"Especially with the number of First Nations people that have come into parliament."
Australia's 47th parliament includes a historic 11 First Nations members, including Wiradjuri woman Linda Burney, the Minister for Indigenous Australians.
"She's not coming into a space anymore where she gets to have a big rant and nobody's going to respond," Aunty Cheryl said.
"I'm very, very optimistic about the future for us as Aboriginal people."
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