Source : Perth Now news
Pauline Hanson has slammed the Department of Defence for a four-day exercise training program in Canberra that she has labelled “out of touch” and “woke”.
The department shared a series of images online of Australian Army personnel, including sergeants major and sergeants, undergoing Indigenous weapons classes in late May.
Imagery shared on social media showed the soldiers preparing a Boondi – a traditional hardwood club often used for hunting and close combat.
Online, the One Nation leader slammed the training program, saying the Department of Defence was “caught forcing soldiers to craft Indigenous spears instead of practising modern day warfighting”.
“I hope spears and clubs aren’t our new plan for defence instead of weapons and drones,” she wrote.
She argued the practice was “out of touch” and “woke”.
“To be clear, this isn’t the fault of the Diggers,” she wrote.
“They’re being forced to do this by out-of-touch generals and our woke Defence Minister.”
Exercise Greenskin trained soldiers in “finding correct trees to make craft clubs, spears, axes and coolamons”.
It is the fourth event of its kind, with 60 personnel taking part across the country.
As part of the four-day activity, personnel also participated in cultural tours and attended a military history tour at the Australian War Memorial.
Officer in charge Major Samuel White said Exercise Greenskin aimed to “help soldiers better understand the Aboriginal history of their unit”.
“I have a strong link to culture being Indigenous myself, but seeing non-Indigenous Australians and service members learn how to do this sort of stuff is the highlight,” he said.
Major White said some of the culturally cleared weapons may eventually be used for ceremonial purposes.
The Department of Defence has been contacted by NewsWire for comment.
