When I was at school, Australian history started with Abel Tasman in 1642 and Captain Cook in 1770. From our text books these were the “civilised” people who “found” our country – although I always wondered how something could be found if it wasn’t technically “lost” in the first place.
It’s been a decade since the 2008 apology to the stolen generation and it’s fitting the 2016 Census results confirm a rise in the number of Indigenous business owners, both male and female.
Parliament’s apology to The Stolen Generations wasn’t a single, stand-alone event. It was – at minimum – a seventeen year journey of difficult, heartfelt, honest conversations involving millions of Australians
At the Garma Festival on the weekend, Galarrwuy Yunipingu spoke of the “right (of Indigenous peoples)to have a voice”. On the International Day of Indigenous peoples, are we ready to listen?
The theme for National Reconciliation Week is “let’s take the next steps”. An important concept. However, Andrew Olsen argues it is wishful thinking to believe we can focus on moving forward without recognising and addressing the current issues of our Indigenous peoples.
Supporting reconciliation means working to overcome the division (often called the gap) and the inequality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
When you ask the majority of Australians to describe an Indigenous person their standard definition involves some reference to colour. But Tahlia Burgoyne knows it is relationships and country that really define Indigenous Australians.
Saturday marked the start of National Reconciliation Week. This year the bookends are significant anniversaries of milestone events in the reconciliation journey. Peter Nash, KPMG chairman shares his vision for a reconciled Australia.
At KPMG, our vision for every Indigenous Australian is equal opportunity to live and plan a positive future for themselves, their families and communities.
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