Qantas quietly DELETES controversial phrase from its in-flight Acknowledgments of Country – amid reversal on backing ‘woke’ causes

Qantas has quietly edited the wording of the Acknowledgments of Country broadcasted on flights – as the national carrier reverses course on backing ‘woke’ causes. 

The airline has long had a policy of paying respects to Indigenous Elders ‘past, present and emerging’ across all of its services.

The broadcasts have sparked criticism from the conservative side of politics, including from self-help author Jordan Peterson and newspaper columnists.

But Daily Mail Australia can now reveal that early last year the airline deleted the word ’emerging’ from its in-flight script.

Sources said the change follows consultation with First Nations employees and communities.

The inclusion of the word ’emerging’ is hotly contested as some believe it undermines the role of Eldership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Wiradjuri woman and the first Aboriginal councillor at City of Sydney, Yvonne Weldon told NITV in 2023 that including ’emerging Elder’ is a presumptuous term.

‘I think people have adopted ‘past, present and emerging’ without fully understanding cultural protocol, but with the intention of acknowledging the younger generations,’ she said.

As of 2024, Qantas planes have excluded the word ’emerging’ when paying respect to Elders in the Acknowledgement of Country (stock image)

Under former Qantas CEO Alan Joyce (pictured centre, beside Anthony Albanese), the airline backed a Yes vote in the Voice referendum, with some planes painted with ‘Yes23’

‘In Wiradjuri law, recognition as an Elder is something that is conferred rather than assumed.’

The revelation also comes less than a month after Qantas chairman John Mullen signaled a reversal of the airline’s backing for ‘woke’ causes under former boss Alan Joyce.

Mr Mullen, who was appointed Board Chair in September, said such campaigning had gone too far and was resented by the public.

The airline strongly backed a Yes vote in the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum while Mr Joyce was chief executive, with ‘Yes23’ painted on planes to support the campaign.

Mr Mullen was not working with Qantas at the time the Voice referendum was rejected by a majority of Australians.

But, reflecting on the policy, he said corporate Australia ‘did itself no favours’ by taking a side in the divisive issue.

Further explaining his views in the Australian Financial Review, Mr Mullen wrote that companies were well advised to stay away from social issues and focus on making profits for shareholders. 

‘Clearly, in some areas corporates and others overstepped the enthusiastic adoption of some of the more radical or “woke” initiatives, and this has caused a backlash in some quarters,’ Mr Mullen wrote. 

Qantas (flight attendant pictured) has a longstanding policy of paying respects to Indigenous Elders ‘past, present and emerging’ at the start of its flights

The revelation comes less than a month after Qantas chairman John Mullen (pictured) signaled a reversal of the airline’s backing for ‘woke’ causes under former boss Alan Joyce

The airline’s Acknowledgements of Country have sparked backlash in some quarters previously.

Psychologist Dr Peterson blasted the airline over its ‘land acknowledgment propaganda’ during a visit in 2023.

‘I’m sure I’m not the only one who feels that way. Stick to (1) flying and (2) making money,’ he said at the time.

‘I don’t want or need moral lessons from you or any other corporation.’

Qantas declined to comment on the Acknowledgment change on the record.  

Former boss Mr Joyce had also strongly backed the same-sex marriage plebiscite.

Qantas was one of 30 of Australia’s largest companies, including Telstra, Holden, Wesfarmers and the Commonwealth Bank, that urged the government to take action on gay marriage in 2017. 

Then-Immigration Minister Peter Dutton warned Mr Joyce to ‘stick to knitting’ and stay out of the marriage equality debate.

The airline is taking a different course since Alan Joyce quit in September 2023 

‘I’d prefer publicly listed companies stick to their knitting and that is delivering the services for their customers and providing a return for their shareholders,’ he said.

But shadow attorney-general at the time, Mark Dreyfus, questioned the remarks at a time when government MPs were debating the merits of changing racial discrimination laws.

‘I find it a bitter irony that we’ve got a Liberal Party that wants to give free speech for racists but not free speech for CEOs,’ he told ABC radio.

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