The poll, which was published by the Junee Southern Cross and The Daily Advertiser, showed 53 per cent of respondents agreeing with council’s decision.

During their April meeting, council voted against mandating an acknowledgement of country instead leaving it in the hands of event organisers or a committee chairperson.

The poll results follow a heated debate among Junee councillors where one described the push for acknowledgement as “reverse discrimination” and another said it ran the risk of “tokenism”.

More than 435 people chose to participate in the poll as of Monday morning.

Councillors voted unanimously in favour of erecting signs at the shire’s entrances welcoming visitors to Wiradjuri land.

Mayor Neil Smith said it was necessary to recognise the acknowledgement to country was a special thing and it should be treated as such.

At Junee’s Australia Day celebrations, Councillor Smith delivered an acknowledgement to country and said he would do so again.

“Doing it at every council meeting could run the risk of trivialising or making light of something that is important,” Cr Smith said.

“We’re trying to be inclusive not exclusive.”

Meanwhile, Junee resident Shirley Buckley has welcomed the decision to place signs at the shire’s entrances.

Ms Buckley wrote to council and asked they place signs at the entrances of the shire recognised the land as part of the Wiradjuri nation.

Ms Buckley’s mum Yvonne Gilchrist, a former Wagga City Councillor successfully pushed for signs at the entrance points in Wagga.

She said it would good to see an acknowledgement of country being delivered during formal events in Junee.

Originally published as Two-thirds reject recognition of Wiradjuri land; poll, it has been updated to reflect poll results.