Warren Mundine, a former Indigenous politician, has criticized a recent Welcome to Country ceremony, accusing an Aboriginal elder of turning the event into a platform for political commentary and business promotion.

With a background as the former national president of the Australian Labor Party and ex-chairman of the federal government’s Indigenous Advisory Council, Mundine is also a prominent figure in the campaign opposing the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum.

In a conversation with Ben Fordham on 2GB, Mundine expressed disapproval of the Welcome to Country ceremony that preceded an AFLW match, which faced backlash for what many perceived as political overreach and self-promotion.

Mundine criticized the elder for straying from the intended purpose of the ceremony, suggesting she used it to further political aims rather than to welcome attendees.

“Why don’t they consult the Macquarie Dictionary or any other, and see the true meaning of the word ‘welcome,'” Mundine remarked.

Queensland elder Louisa Bonner (pictured) delivered a controversial Welcome to Country before an AFLW preliminary final on the weekend

Indigenous former politician Warren Mundine (pictured) slammed Bonner for turning the ceremony into a political statement and promoting her own business

The Welcome to Country (pictured) was held before the Brisbane Lions clash with the Carlton Blues on Saturday

‘It is not about giving a personal lecture, it is not about running off in a promotion for your business, or to look at the politics of the day.

‘It is, we want you to be here, we love you to be here.

‘I’ve seen some beautiful Welcome to Countries. But these things are driving people mad.’

Bonner started the ceremony in innocuous fashion, welcoming footy fans to the lands of the local First Nations people. 

‘Thank you very much for the lovely introduction,’ she said.

‘Good afternoon, I join you today as a guest on behalf of the First Nations traditional owners and as a member of the Ugarapul, Jagera clans, Turrbal and Darumbal people. Yuggera-language people of south-east Queensland.

‘Springfield sits within Yuggera country which extends from the Port of Brisbane to the Esk border, the base of the Toowoomba Range, south [to] Mount Barney east to Rathdowney and north back along the Logan River to the Port of Brisbane.’

But the ceremony quickly took a controversial turn as Bonner delivered a speech about Indigenous youth in custody. 

Louisa Bonner began with a typical Welcome, but then rapidly shifted into political messaging about Indigenous youth in custody

Pictured: The moment Bonner (circled) held up her business card during the Welcome

Mundine and other critics said the messaging from Bonner (pictured) was inappropriate before a football match 

‘Before proceeding with today’s formalities, I wish to briefly address a national crisis affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children and young people in youth detention,’ she said.

‘Our children remain disproportionately represented in these systems and are often treated not as children or young people deserving care, protection and opportunity, but as a number within the structures that serve their political and economic interests rather than community wellbeing.

‘The drivers of this crisis are well known, the ongoing impacts of colonisation and systemic racism, limited recognition of sovereignty, resistance to Indigenous leadership and continued land and economic dispossession.

‘These issues are a matter of social justice, human rights and legal responsibility.

‘There are other countries such as New Zealand and American Native Indians that are leading in these areas and addressing issues in their own country.

‘Australia has already committed to frameworks that uphold rights to self determination including the Anti Discrimination Act 1991, international human rights covenant recognised by the Australian Human Rights Commission, United Nations declaration of the rights of Indigenous peoples, particularly articles three and four on self determination and self government.

‘The Closing The Gap framework also requires governments to strengthen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island families, communities and cultures.’

Bonner then used her platform as an opportunity to push her own business.

Bonner is trying to turn around high Indigenous youth rates in detention across Australia

‘Narungga Limited’s programs align with this responsibility by prioritising care, respect and cultural authority across all generations,’ she said.

‘I would also like to say that every time I’m invited here by the Lions to do a Welcome to Country, that they’re also supporting me to run those programs.

‘If you wish to discuss us, catch up with me afterwards. Here’s my business card.

‘But to all the teams here today, I extend my best wishes. A good game upholds fairness, sportsmanship and respect, allowing athletes to demonstrate their skills and true character.

‘May the spirit of goodwill guide both teams and I wish you all the very best.’

Mundine said that Welcome to Country ceremonies should be simply about the welcome, without additional agendas getting tacked on.

‘You can have such a thing as a Welcome to Country and it can be a beautiful thing. It’s like welcoming somebody into your house,’ he said.

‘It’s like saying, all you migrants and all you people who have come to this country over the last 50-100 years, we’re proud to have you here, we’re building a beautiful nation, and all this type of stuff.

‘That [Bonner’s speech] was three things. One, it started out as a Welcome to Country. Then it lost its way and went into a political statement and then it went into an advertisement for her business.

‘This drives me mad, this stuff,’ he said.

‘As I have said when I was the deputy mayor of Dubbo and acting mayor, when we did the citizenship programs, at the finish of it we did the formalities.

‘I said then, “I’m really proud that you have chosen Australia to come and live here and contribute to this country”.

‘That is a Welcome to Country.’

3AW’s Tom Elliott also joined in the chorus of opposition to Bonner’s take on the ceremony. 

‘It was extraordinary. It was a diatribe about Indigenous children in custody and colonisation and structural racism and all these sort of touch points,’ he said.

‘Completely inappropriate before a football game.

‘In fact, the woman who gave the so-called Welcome to Country even offered people her business card if they wanted to take the discussion further.

‘It was wrong, and the AFL needs to have a good, long, hard look at itself.’

Daily Mail has contacted Louisa Bonner for comment.