A controversial television star has expressed his anger at his country’s recognition on board a domestic Jetstar flight.
Dean Wells, who appeared in Channel Nine dating series Married At First Sight in 2018, flew from Sydney to Ballina in New South Wales on Tuesday morning to attend his uncle’s funeral.
While the former reality TV star stated that he had “no problems” with the airline and that his flight was a pleasant experience, he complained that the flight could have happened “without” the arrival ceremony.
“For all the complaining we do about airlines, I have to say that 99% of my flights are uneventful,” Dean wrote on his Instagram Story.
“I arrived at the airport today to fly to my uncle’s funeral about 40 minutes before the plane was due to take off and @jetstaraustralia on the plane for me was no problem.”
“I could have done without the ‘welcome to country’ when I arrived in Ballina, where my family is from,” he added in another story.
‘I don’t need to be ‘welcomed’ in my own country.’
Jetstar and Qantas have rolled out First Nations Acknowledgment of Country messaging on flights in 2021.
A controversial television star expressed outrage over First Nations ‘Welcome to Country’ on board a Jetstar flight from Sydney to Ballina, both located in New South Wales
A Welcome to Country can only be conducted by Traditional Owners or Custodians of the land on which an event is taking place. In circumstances where a traditional owner is not available, a land confirmation may be carried out instead.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Jetstar for comment.
It comes after a young woman questioned why she was forced to take part in a Welcome to Country before every Pilates class.
Loren Barry, a producer at Triple M, said she did not understand why her practice sessions had to start with the ceremony.
Dean Wells, who appeared in Channel Nine dating series Married At First Sight in 2018, flew from Sydney to Ballina on Tuesday morning to attend his uncle’s funeral
While the former reality TV star stated that he had “no problems” with the airline and that his flight was a pleasant experience, he complained that the flight could have happened “without” the Welcome to Country ceremony upon arrival.
Barry was quick to point out that she supported the Welcome to Country, but questioned its frequency.
“I’m all for Welcome to Country,” she said.
“But I think you’re welcome if you have the same people in class every day.”
2GB presenter Ben Fordham was stunned after hearing about her story on Friday, arguing they had ‘lost all meaning’.
“I’m convinced that organizations will drop this tradition in a few years because they have flogged it so hard that it has lost all meaning,” he said.
‘If it is now the first parliament day of the year, then do the welcome.
“If there’s a special meeting happening, go ahead and extend the welcome.
“But we don’t need every speech to have one, we don’t need a welcome at the start of a Zoom meeting, or a welcome to the country at the start of a Pilates class? Well, that’s just bizarre.’
Fordham argued that Australians should not be afraid to share their thoughts on the ceremonies.
“We might say it: the obsession with welcome has become a bit of an open joke,” he said.
“And let’s face it, it’s a chore sometimes.”
His comments come as the frequency of Welcome to Country ceremonies comes into the spotlight.
Two Welcome to Country ceremonies were performed at separate AFL matches in September – both dividing fans.
The first was held at the GWS Giants and Brisbane Lions semi-final on September 14, while the second was held at the Sydney Swans and Brisbane Lions Grand Final on Saturday.
Uncle Colin Hunter’s welcome to the AFL Grand Final was widely praised, but Ben Fordham said the practice is a ‘mood killer’ at sporting events
Uncle Colin Hunter hosted the ceremony at the MCG this weekend, with most fans cheering, but some boos could also be heard.
Fordham expressed strong distaste for the practices, saying they “suck the tension out of the air.”
“It’s a mood killer,” he said.
‘Players run onto the ground, the crowd roars, the tension fills the stadium and then you know what happens – we’ve all seen it – you get a speech that has nothing to do with football.
“All it does is highlight a difference instead of saying we’re all one gang,” he said.
AFL boss Andrew Dillon promised the Welcome to Country ceremonies were here to stay.
“We will continue to do it, the Welcome to Country is for everyone,” he said.
“We are a sport that is inclusive and we believe this sets the tone for the game. It really helps the game, so we’ll continue to do that.”