Hobart City Councillor Louise Elliot recently proposed that council meetings should abandon their Acknowledgment of Country, drawing what she sees as a parallel with the earlier removal of the Lord’s Prayer from civic proceedings.

This represents another troubling example of manufactured culture wars sweeping across Australia—from far-right disruptions of Welcome to Country ceremonies at ANZAC Day events to Peter Dutton’s failed attempt to weaponise this issue during the last federal election.

When I returned to Australia in 2016 after 15 years in London, I discovered something that hadn’t existed when I left: the widespread adoption of Acknowledgment of Country practices.

What struck me wasn’t just the practice itself, but what it represented—a remarkable evolution in how Australia had begun embedding First Nations culture into our collective consciousness.

Now, nearly a decade later, we’re witnessing manufactured controversies about this simple gesture that had been quietly, successfully integrated into countless institutions without significant objection.

Elliot’s comparison to removing the Lord’s Prayer reveals a fundamental misunderstanding. The prayer was removed because it privileged one faith tradition in secular civic space. Acknowledgment of Country does the opposite—it includes rather than excludes, grounding us in the specific place where we gather and honouring the Traditional Owners whose sovereignty has never been ceded.

Why do we allow ourselves to be distracted by these symbolic debates when there are genuine challenges demanding attention? Housing affordability, social inequality, sustainable employment—these are the issues shaping our future.

Culture war controversies serve those who prefer attention focused anywhere other than structural challenges requiring difficult policy solutions.

We need what I call “more generous politics”—an approach that assumes good faith, seeks understanding, and recognises Acknowledgment of Country for what it truly is: a respectful gesture that strengthens rather than threatens our civic life.

Indigenous cultures in Australia are rich, resilient, and hold profound knowledge and wisdom. Acknowledging this should never be controversial.

The choice is ours: continue being distracted by manufactured controversies that divide us, or focus on building inclusive, respectful communities grounded in place and history.

What are your thoughts on how we navigate these manufactured culture wars while staying focused on what really matters?