Political leaders have continued to condemn the booing of Welcome to Country ceremonies at Anzac Day dawn services, even as Opposition Leader Angus Taylor claims the ceremonies are overused.
For the second time in as many years, Aboriginal Elders were heckled at services across the country on Saturday.
In Melbourne, Bunurong Elder Mark Brown was booed during his Welcome to Country. In Sydney, an Acknowledgment of Country by Ray Minniecon was interrupted by hecklers, while in Boorloo/Perth, Whadjuk Noongar Elder and veteran Di Ryder was also booed during her address.
Speaking on ABC Radio on Monday, South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said he was "deeply saddened" by the booing. Thinking about the events throughout the day, he argued, "I couldn't help but feel a bit angry about it as well, which I think is a human response to a tragic set of circumstances."
"I don't want to exaggerate it, but nor do I want to dismiss it. I think there was a couple of people that partook in the activity. And the reason for the anger is it's just so self-indulgent," he said.
In the lead-up to the services, anti-immigration group Fight for Australia used social media to urge supporters to attend and oppose Welcome to Country ceremonies.
Mr Malinauskas said those involved had made the day about themselves.
"Any act of self-indulgence or any attempts to commandeer Anzac Day away from the cause that it actually represents, I think should be responded to with a full-hearted response by leaders around the country just about how outrageous it is," he said.
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After the Sydney service, Uncle Ray said: "We do have laws to try and deter people from this, but it seems like these people still want to be lawless."
"They just need to realise their place in this country ... and show their deepest respect."
In response, RSL acting president retired brigadier Vince Williams told the ABC: "I apologise unreservedly to Uncle Ray ... his family has contributed enormously to our nation through from the First World War to the current day."
"I'm pretty convinced that none of the bunch of louts who were booing have ever done anything constructive for our nation," he added.
After Aunty Di's speech, RSL WA chief executive and MC Stephen Barton condemned the disruption, drawing applause from the crowd.
"Di, on behalf of RSL and veteran community, I offer my heartfelt thank you for that acknowledgement to country," he said. "It [the booing] was one of the most disgraceful things I have ever heard."
On Sunday, Angus Taylor echoed remarks made by former Opposition leader Peter Dutton during last year's election campaign by arguing the use of Welcome to Country ceremonies was overdone.
While condemning the booing, Mr Taylor said he could "understand the frustration Australians feel about [their] over-use".
"I feel that at times — often, actually. I think it is overused and as a result they are devalued," he said. "I would like to see them used less and therefore not devalued, as I think they have been over time."
On Monday, The Australian newspaper published an opinion piece by Mr Taylor's wife, Louise Clegg, arguing that Welcome to Country ceremonies should be used more sparingly.
Nationals MP Michael McCormack told ABC RN some of the booing appeared "orchestrated" and condemned it. Asked whether he agreed with Mr Taylor's comments, he said: "I can, if you have several speakers and every one of them takes a lot of their speech time to do Welcomes to Country when it's already been done."
"If you do it at the start, you do it appropriately, I think most people find that to be a good part of the ceremony, and then you get on with what the actual event is all about," he argued. "And I think that's probably appropriate."
Speaking on the same program, Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles called the booing "disgraceful" and something which is "profoundly disrespectful and in my mind goes against all that Anzac Day stands for".
"Indigenous Australians deserve that respect," he said. "Indigenous Australians who served in our defence force deserve that respect. And that's what we should be thinking about."
Mr Marles said he did not agree with Mr Taylor's comments, adding: "You know, Australians around the country in different contexts engage in Welcome to Country's, and that's a good thing."
Writing in Guardian Australia, Indigenous academic Marcia Langton called for those involved in the heckling to be banned from future events.
"What Uncle Mark, Uncle Ray and Aunty Di know, and what the elders of the RSL know, is that more than 118 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men served in the Australian Light Horse during the First World War," she wrote.
"The morons who tried to snatch the sacred moment away from them, and those of us who observe with them at dawn services, deserve more than contempt and a few words of rancour."
