This is a time in which we can all become involved in something bigger than each of us.
In something that can change our nation.
That can make our country a better place for us all and for future generations.
That involves us in conversations about fairness and uniting our nation.
It’s also a time when, as individuals, we can make a difference.
When we have an opportunity to listen, to learn, to understand, to change.
When we have the opportunity to respond to an invitation almost 100 years in the making.
The idea of having First Nations people having a voice in decisions affecting them is not a new concept.
During the 1920s, Aboriginal activists called for a voice to parliament. The Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association was formed in Sydney in 1924 under the leadership of Fred Maynard. At the second AAPA conference — held in Kempsey in 1924 — one of the key demands was that Aboriginal people should control any administrative body affecting their lives.
The work of Maynard and others inspired the next wave of activists, including Jack Patten, Bill Ferguson and William Cooper, who campaigned for Aboriginal rights in the 1930s and ’40s. William Cooper petitioned King George VI to have Aboriginal representation in parliament. This request for representation was repeated in 1949 when Doug Nicholls, on behalf of the Australian Aborigines League, wrote to the then Prime Minister, Ben Chifley.
The 1963 Yirrkala Bark Petitions, Larrakia Petition (1972) and Barunga Statement (1988) all called for political representation — a say in decisions that impacted on First Nations communities.
Not one of these requests was successful.
It is worth noting that the Australian Constitution is the only constitution of a first world nation with a colonial history that does not recognise its first people.
The 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart — the culmination of almost two years of First Nations regional dialogues — offered the Australian people a different view of our nation. “With substantive constitutional change and structural reform, we believe this ancient sovereignty can shine through as a fuller expression of Australia’s nationhood.”
It went on to say:
“We seek constitutional reforms to empower our people and take a rightful place in our own country. When we have power over our destiny our children will flourish. They will walk in two worlds and their culture will be a gift to their country. “
The Uluru Statement extended a respectful and generous invitation to the Australian people: “We invite you to walk with us in a movement of the Australian people for a better future.” An offer of a coming together, of making a change for all Australians.
It called for three interrelated national reforms:
• A First Nations Voice to Parliament enshrined in the Constitution.
• Agreement-making through the establishment of a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement making between governments and First Nations.
• Truth-telling about the history of the colonisation of Australia.
Later this year, the Australian people will be asked to vote in a referendum on the first of these reforms — to include a Voice to Parliament in the Australian Constitution. Placing the Voice within the Constitution is a safeguard — it means it cannot be removed at the whim of future governments.
The Voice to Parliament allows First Nations to have input into decisions that impact their communities — based on the idea of ‘nothing about us, without us’ — to help inform policy and legal decisions that will impact their lives. We know this leads to more effective outcomes.
Including the Voice in the Constitution also recognises the special place of First Nations peoples in Australia’s history.
From the Heart director, Quandamooka man Dean Parkin, when speaking at the launch of the Yes Campaign in Adelaide, reinforced the importance of the Australian people in this process.
“It’s about taking this campaign for recognition through a Voice out of the bubble and back down to where this campaign belongs, which is with the people of Australia,” he said.
“We want to make this a welcoming space, we want all Australians to be involved in this conversation, so the last couple of days is about giving them the tools, giving them some direction, about how to best go about that.”
Here’s our opportunity — as people of Australia — to get together to engage in honest reckoning of the harm and injustice of our historical past; Australia’s history of constitutional indifference and how a Voice to Parliament can make a difference.
As Cobble Cobble woman and Uluru Dialogue co-chair Professor Megan Davis explained in Adelaide recently: “We’re asking Australians to start a yarn. Yarning with ordinary Aussies is critical because this is not about politicians, it’s not about government, it’s not about media. It’s about Australians working together and rising above politics.”
So, let’s all step up — and step into this new space.
Make the most of this amazing opportunity to find out more, to learn, to understand, to change.
The power and spirit of people coming together — sharing ideas, knowledge, wisdom and aspirations — helps to strengthen our communities, our democracy and builds an enduring future for everyone.
You have an important role to play in this, so make sure you are informed.
To find out more visit: https://fromtheheart.com.au/about/our-people/ https://ulurustatement.org/education/start-a-yarn/ https://togetheryes.com.au/ https://yes23.com.au/