A year has passed since Australians voted No in the national referendum on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament and Kangaroo Island Council has marked the occasion by dropping its Acknowledgement of Country.

At its 8 October meeting the council officially rescinded the motion that initiated the acknowledgement at the meeting of 6 December 2022.

The rescinded motion was - That the following Acknowledgement of Country be read with dignity at the start of each Ordinary meeting of the Kangaroo Island Council: 

This Council acknowledges the deep spiritual significance of Kangaroo Island to many Indigenous Australian nations. We also acknowledge the care and custodianship of this land by Indigenous Australians over many thousands of years, and pay respect to their cultures, and their elders past and present.

The acknowledgement was replaced with a new statement:

That Council acknowledge and recognises spiritual significance of our Island to Indigenous Australians and all peoples who have come before us to settle on our Island. Whose toil and efforts down through the years have made it our Island home that it is today.

Mayor Michael Pengilly says, “The Council, by majority, wanted to pass a statement that recognises all those who have settled on Kangaroo Island over the millennia and acknowledges their contributions that have shaped our home.”

Minutes of Kangaroo Island council meetings can be found online.