Part 2/11:
The ceremony commenced with the familiar ritual of the "Welcome to Country," a formal acknowledgment that pays respects to the traditional custodians of the land. Today’s proceedings, including a smoking ceremony, stretched over 45 minutes—significantly longer than the parliamentary debates on the digital ID bill last year. This extended duration highlights how integral these Indigenous acknowledgments have become, anchoring official events in spiritual and cultural recognition that now seems to overshadow substantive legislative discussion.