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What is reconciliation?
A brief history of reconciliation | The social and economic benefits of reconciliation | Reconciliation Week
Reconciliation has both symbolic and practical elements. A spirit of goodwill, mutual respect and recognition of the effects of colonisation on Australia's first people are the symbolic cornerstones of the reconciliation effort. On the practical side, working towards an improved quality of life for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, particularly in areas such as health, education and employment is essential for achieving equality for all Queenslanders.
In progressing reconciliation, the Queensland Government will base its activities on the following principles:
- Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders are the traditional owners of Australia
- Indigenous cultures have unique relationships to the land, sea and waterways
- some past Government policies that applied to Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders have led to present-day social problems for Indigenous communities
- recognition of past injustices is essential in building a better future
- there is no place for racism or discrimination in Queensland.
A brief history of reconciliation
The decade of the 1990s witnessed new energy and commitment on the part of the Australian people to overcome the disadvantage experienced by Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders, and to improve relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous citizens. This movement was led by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation established by the Commonwealth Parliament in 1991.
In 1998, the Queensland Government introduced reconciliation into the Queensland Parliament through the New Directions Statement. Further, in 1999 the Premier expanded on the Government's commitment to reconciliation with his Ministerial Statement to Parliament, Vision for Australia.
On 26 May 1999, Premier Peter Beattie moved that: "This House recognises the critical importance to Indigenous Australians and the wider community of a continuing reconciliation process, based on an understanding of, and frank apologies for, what has gone wrong in the past and total commitment to equal respect in the future." The Premier's motion was passed by the Parliament.
During the same sitting, the Premier moved to apologise to those affected by past removalist policies, stating: "That this House apologises to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Queensland on behalf of all Queenslanders for the past policies under which Indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and expresses deep sorrow and regret at the hurt and distress that this caused."
The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation completed its 10-year term on 31 December 2000 citing significant achievements, but identifying that much work still needed to be done. In its final report, Reconciliation - Australia's Challenge, the Council recommended to Government and the Australian community a range of short-term and long-term strategies which could continue the momentum of reconciliation.
The Council also established Reconciliation Australia as the non-government, not-for-profit foundation to continue the national focus on reconciliation.
In November 2000, the Queensland Government joined with governments across Australia in affirming their ongoing commitment to reconciliation. The Council of Australian Governments agreed on three priority areas for advancing reconciliation:
- investing in community leadership activities
- forging greater links between the business sector and Indigenous communities to help promote economic independence
- ensuring programs and services deliver practical measures that support families, children and young people.
Responding to this commitment, the Queensland Government adopted a reconciliation action plan in September 2001 comprising four initiatives:
- communication campaign to spread the reconciliaton message
- Young Indigenous Leaders' Forum
- Reconciliation Business Forum
- Reconciliation Awards for Business.
These initiatives took place in 2003 and 2004 with excellent results, including the development of a network for young Indigenous leaders and new partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders and new partnerships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous businesses.
To provide a strategic focus on engaging businesses in reconciliation and supporting young Indigenous leaders, the Queensland Government endorsed the Reconciliation Business and Leadership Action Plan (2005 to 2007) to deliver these initiatives.
The social and economic benefits of reconciliation
The Queensland Government's Reconciliation Action Plan recognises that there are direct social and economic benefits for all Queenslanders in working towards true reconciliation. These benefits may include:
- more harmonious living in multicultural communities
- the realisation of true 'equal opportunity' with regard to employment and access to services
- healthy economic flow throughout the State as more people participate as employees and consumers. This benefits business, industry, communities and individuals
- a greater recruitment pool for employers
- attitudinal changes amongst employers that can result in increased employment for Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders
- equality of opportunity and quality of life
- an increase in community patronage to businesses that promote reconciliation
- new industries and businesses may emerge from joint ventures with Indigenous communities
- an increased sense of community pride from constructively working through issues in our history
- a greater acceptance of the need to recognise past injustices and make appropriate reparations
- the opportunity to experience Indigenous culture through lifestyle activities such as food and the arts
- a greater ability to work together and share responsibility for a better future
- a richer 'collective identity' for Queensland and Australia.
Reconciliation Week
Reconciliation week runs from 27 May to 3 June each year. May 27 is the anniversary of the 1967 referendum in which Australians voted to remove the Constitutional clauses that discriminated against Indigenous Australians.
June 3 is Mabo Day, the anniversary of the 1992 High Court decision that overturned the principle of "terra nullius" or "vacant land" that the British claimed when they first arrived in this country.
