Gordon Reid (Robertson, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This week marks the start of National Reconciliation Week, a time when Australians from all backgrounds and from all corners of the country reflect on our shared history with our First Nations brothers and sisters. We remember and we acknowledge that First Nations people have had an enduring connection to this land for almost 60,000 years. They were and continue to be the First Peoples of this land, and we recognise that there have been horrible atrocities committed towards First Nations people over many decades. We understand that this has led to intergenerational trauma in our First Nations communities. This has caused significant gaps in health, education and employment measures compared to non-Indigenous Australians. Importantly, this week is a time for all Australians to move forward together, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships. We all have a role to play, and I encourage all members of the Australian parliament to consider the significance of this historic moment in our country's history. The next chapter in our nation's reconciliation journey awaits, and history will forever remember the people who had the power to make change.

In 1967 Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander people were counted in the Australian population. In 2017 we asked to be heard. In 2023 Australia will vote in a historic referendum on recognition and an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice. This year we can make history again. Let us grasp this opportunity together and not let it slip away