IT’S TIME THE HILLS SHIRE COUNCIL ACKNOWLEDGES THE TRADITIONAL OWNERS OF THE LAND IT MEET'S ON. THAT IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH THAT THE FIRST AUSTRALIANS (THE DARUG PEOPLE) ARE NOT ACKNOWLEDGED AT COUNCIL MEETINGS OR SPONSORED MAJOR EVENTS. 

On 13 September the Liberal majority on The Hills Shire Council voted down the motion to acknowledge the traditional owners on the land they meet.

 Seven Liberal party Councillor's refused to amend Council's code of meeting practice to include an acknowledgment of country. They include former candidate for Greenway The Mayor Yvonne Keane, Deputy Mayor Robyn Preston, Clr Mike Thomas, Clr Alan Haselden, Clr Peter Gangemi, Clr Jeff Lowe and Councillor Michelle Byrne.

We the undersigned call upon the seven Liberal Councillor's to include an acknowledgment of country at The Hills Shire Council and that 'Council acknowledges that the meeting is held on the traditional lands of the Darug people'. 

In total The Hills Shire council on three occasions have refused to amend meeting practice to include acknowledgement of the traditional owners.

HELP SUPPORT THE DARUG PEOPLE IN THEIR FIGHT FOR RECOGNITION AND SIGN THIS PETITION.

CURRENTLY THERE IS NO ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Currently there is no acknowledgment of traditional owners at The Hills Shire Council ordinary meeting or major events such as Australia Day held by The Hills Shire Council. 

DARUG PEOPLE CALL FOR ACKNOWLEDGMENT          

Darug elders have been calling for acknowledgement requesting Council to include an acknowledgment of country at the start of every council meeting.

Aboriginal elder Wes Marne said, “I think that everyone who lives on this land should be able to say this here is my land," he said. “After everything that has happened to us in the last 228 years … It’s starting all over again and I don’t want to go through it again. “We cry like other people, we laugh and we bleed red like everybody else … It’s wrong.” 

Aunty Edna, a Darug elder who lived in Kellyville for 31 years before moving to Hawkesbury, said she was hurt by the lack of respect shown to the traditional elders. “This is Darug land, always has been, always will be,” she said. 

Darug elder Ross Fogg said “its recognition of the first people of this land and their history. Our history is their history as well. If this is not acknowledged than history is distorted.

"By acknowledging the traditional owners we recognise the first peoples of this nation for their unique place in our history". Clr Ryan Tracey Labor Councillor The Hills Shire Council 

FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

In Federal Parliament, both houses start each day with the Lord's Prayer and the Welcome to Country. 

Premiers protocol: Aboriginal people are the original owners of the land and it is important that this special position of Aboriginal people is recognised and incorporated into official protocol to enable the wider community to share in Aboriginal culture and facilitate better relationships between Aboriginal people and the general community. 

"Irrespective of what government is in power they pay their respect and recognise that the Aboriginal and Torres Strait people are the traditional custodians of the land and pay their respect". Labor Councillor Raymond Harty OAM The Hills Shire Council 

LIBERAL COUNCILLORS CLAIM ACKNOWLEDGMENT AS 'TOKENISTIC' 

Liberal Councillor's refuse traditional Aboriginal 'Welcome to Country' before meetings because it's 'divisive and too politically correct.

Seven Liberals of the eleven member council voted against the acknowledgement to be included in the meeting practice.

Liberal Councillor Peter Gangemi said "We make our own decisions". "For me personally, political correctness is something I'm wary of," he said. An acknowledgement of country "can be a tokenistic gesture by non-indigenous Australians to make them feel better about indigenous Australians" and contained no practical benefits, he said, echoing the words of former prime minister Tony Abbott who dismissed the practice in 2010 as "out-of-place tokenism". 

Liberal Councillor Michael Thomas said he was "disappointed" the debate had been brought before council, and told the room an acknowledgement of country generated exclusivity. "When you treat one group differently to others that's exclusive," he said, adding, "It's never been clear to me how we can recognise people based on race and not be racist."  'I'm unconvinced by the argument for it. I'm told it's inclusive but to say it's inclusive is to say they're being left out at the moment,’ 'when it's the opposite were talking about one culture based on race – that troubles me'. 'We don't tolerate divisions on race, religion or gender.'We're a very intelligent council. Three of the Councillors have doctorates, most have a graduate or post-graduate degree - we're all very intelligent people, at least on the Liberal side.'

WHY ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS IMPORTANT 

It is not only a symbolic gesture it is important to Aboriginal people. It promotes an inclusive modern society, it has been a custom to acknowledge the traditional owners and in turn The Hills Shire Council must play its part.

   “all of us, regardless of race, culture or gender, share a strong identity as Australians wanting to build a common, tolerant and prosperous future together. If we work to find what we have in common rather than what divides us… We can be better people; we can build a better Australia; we can build a better place for the next generation together.” Senator Patrick Dodson’.

The Hills Shire Council has a role to play in the story of our Australian History. Of the 34 councils that make up the Sydney metropolitan area, 22 have an “acknowledgment of country” as part of their meetings including Hornsby, Hawkesbury, Parramatta & Blacktown City Council.

This is about connecting with our past, acknowledging the present circumstances and paving the way toward a positive future. 

ACKNOWLEDGING ALL OF OUR HISTORY

H.R.H Queen Elizabeth II picture is adorned within the Council chamber, there should also be room for an acknowledgment of the first Australians and the sacred history they have, the dream time and rich culture.

HELP SUPPORT THE DARUG PEOPLE IN THEIR FIGHT FOR RECOGNITION AND SIGN THIS PETITION.

“We will keep going until we get council to accept an Acknowledgement of Country incorporated into the Code of Meeting practices.“ 

EARLY ABORIGINAL HISTORY IN THE HILLS  

The rock dwellings found in the Darling Mills Creek area of West Pennant Hills date back almost 12,000 years.

In the years 1789-1790 a smallpox epidemic swept through the Sydney Aboriginal population killing many of the people living in the region. Most of the clans around Port Jackson were almost completely wiped out and the disease killed off many inland Darug people as well. The change from bush to farmland meant that game animals were driven away and the Darug people found themselves increasingly displaced in their own country.  For a number of years some clans fought against the Europeans with Pemulwuy leading the resistance until he was shot and killed by Henry Hacking in 1802. Once the rebellions were put down by British soldiers, the Darug learned to live within European society or on the fringes around it. By 1820 the Cumberland plain had been heavily occupied by over 24,000 colonists and the pattern of life that the Darug had developed over thousands of years had almost completely vanished in the area.