Lead
RSL Australia has announced it will review its Welcome to Country guidelines after Indigenous elders and veterans were booed during Anzac Day services across the country. The decision follows incidents at commemorations in Melbourne, Perth, and Sydney, alongside a separate controversy over a Townsville service that omitted an Acknowledgement of Country.
Coverage comparison
Two reports from ABC Australia detail the unfolding situation. One focuses on the RSL's response to the booing, quoting national president Peter Tinley's condemnation and plans for a policy review. The other highlights Queensland Premier David Crisafulli's attendance at a Townsville dawn service that did not include an Acknowledgement of Country, a decision that has drawn criticism from an Indigenous commissioner.
Key claims
Booing at dawn services
Booing and heckling occurred during Welcome to Country addresses at Anzac Day dawn services in Melbourne, Sydney, and Perth. One person was charged over a disturbance at the Sydney service. RSL national president Peter Tinley said he had been "appalled" by the behaviour, which he attributed to a minority of individuals. He expressed personal support for Welcome to Country addresses on Anzac Day, saying his 20-year-old son, a defence academy student, and his generation "don't have a problem with it." Tinley acknowledged that Welcome to Country could become "overworked" and said the review aimed to make the practice "more relevant" and tailored to the commemorative day.
Veteran Uncle Ray Minniecon, who was booed during his Welcome to Country in Sydney, said he would not be deterred by the actions of disruptors.
Townsville service without Acknowledgement of Country
Queensland Premier David Crisafulli and Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto attended a dawn service at Anzac Memorial Park, organised by the Townsville RSL sub-branch. The service did not include an Acknowledgement of Country or a Welcome to Country. Colin Mosch, president of the Townsville RSL sub-branch, confirmed the branch had decided to omit these protocols, saying: "The Anzac Day Dawn Service is about one thing, remembering those who have served and have paid the ultimate sacrifice." The 2024 and 2025 services in Townsville both included an Acknowledgement of Country for the traditional landholders, the Bindal and Wulgurukaba peoples. The branch confirmed it, not the Townsville City Council, was responsible for coordinating the protocol for Anzac Day services.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss labelled the premier's attendance at the ceremony "disrespectful." Police Minister Dan Purdie, who attended six Anzac Day events, defended the premier, noting that events were organised by local schools and RSLs. "We don't organise these events, we say yes to as many as we possibly can and we attend," he said. Mr Crisafulli's office did not respond to a request for comment.
RSL policy review
Peter Tinley said the RSL would seek advice from the federal government to prevent further disruptions. He said individual branches should have discretion over whether to perform a Welcome to Country, noting that what happens in far north Queensland or far north Western Australia are "localised choices." The RSL will review its policies and provide guidance to branches on how to handle the protocol.