Indigenous Elder Removed from Obama Event, Organizers Apologize

An indigenous elder, Aunty Joy Murphy, was removed from an event where she was expected to perform a Welcome to Country ceremony ahead of a speaking event for former President Obama in Melbourne, Australia, for allegedly being "too difficult." Aunty Joy had reportedly asked the event's organizers to provide a support person to assist her at the event and to provide Obama with a gift in line with cultural practice. The Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation called the incident a "deep offence" to the Wurundjeri people and to all First Nations people.