Council calls for reconciliation outcomes by December 2000 to unify the nationThe Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation said today that it was pushing ahead to ensure definite reconciliation outcomes by the end of 2000 and to put in place a framework for continuing the process towards a true reconciliation. The Council reaffirmed its strong belief that tangible reconciliation outcomes by December 2000 were essential for Australia’s future as a harmonious, inclusive nation which lives out its ethos of a fair go for all. "By the time this Council ends its work on December 31, our nation should have agreed on real steps which advance reconciliation now, and should have established a framework for continuing the work of reconciliation in the years ahead," Chairperson Evelyn Scott said. "Council is acutely conscious of its responsibility to take account of the views and concerns of all sections of our society yet at the same time to come up with proposals which actually take us forward," she said. "At the end of the day, this Council will put forward proposals which it thinks will do this. We will be informed by all the views we have heard, but we will not be driven by misplaced attempts to find the lowest common denominator which, in any case, would be doomed to fail," she said. Ms Scott said that the overwhelming majority of Australians believe that reconciliation is an important issue for the nation, as revealed in recent Newspoll research commissioned by the Council. She further noted that an encouraging clear majority believed in principle that a reconciliation document might help relations between Aboriginal people and the wider community. "For that reason, the Council believes that it has a responsibility to ensure outcomes this year which will take all Australians forward on what, as we all know, is a long journey," she said. "The widespread support for reconciliation also places great responsibility on leaders in all sections of this nation to help us achieve such outcomes." Ms Scott said that the Council still believed the best outcome would be broad agreement on a document which both expressed the aspirations of Australians for reconciliation and set out practical steps and commitments to make a real difference to the quality of life of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. "This document should also set out a framework through which the reconciliation process can continue to address the things which will remain undone," she said. "In the inspiring words of Torres Strait Islander leader Mr Terry Waia, who addressed this Council meeting," Ms Scott said, "this document should set: ‘…the course for the future, not at this time resolving the past or bringing reconciliation to a conclusion. Reconciliation is a doing thing. It is ongoing. We all know it does not come from a single event but from a whole range of activities over time’." "That has been Council’s position, and we thanked Mr Waia for putting it so well," she said. Ms Scott said that the Council heard addresses from both the Prime Minister, Mr Howard, and Opposition Leader, Mr Beazley, and engaged in discussion with both leaders. [Ms Scott noted that Democrats Leader Senator Lees unfortunately could not attend this meeting but that Council would invite her to address its next meeting in April.] "Our discussions with Mr Howard and Mr Beazley were confidential but I can say that we intend to go back to all the federal parliamentary leaders as we finalise our proposals about a document. Both leaders encouraged Council to continue its work as an independent body and to come up with final proposals which it thought best," she said. "Both recognised that we did not have an easy task." "In our turn, we stated our desire that both Mr Howard and Mr Beazley would be able to support our final proposals," she said. "We also emphasised our desire that Council’s Corroboree 2000 event on May 27-28 in Sydney would be a unifying, inspiring event which would mark an historic milestone on the long road to reconciliation." Deputy Chairperson Sir Gustav Nossal said that the Council was proceeding with its plans for the Corroboree 2000 event. "We want this event to be the most inclusive, representative gathering which Australia has ever seen about such a vital national issue," Sir Gustav said. "All the signs are that it will be such an event, with many government and political leaders already indicating their support and attendance at the Saturday event in the Sydney Opera House, as well as representatives from Indigenous organisations and communities, local government, business, churches and faith groups, ethnic communities, unions, peak bodies, the NGO sector and many other sections of our diverse society," he said. "And all the indications are that there will be a massive turnout for the People’s Walk for Reconciliation across the Harbour Bridge on the Sunday, to be followed by concerts at Darling Harbour and the Opera House forecourt featuring leading performers," he said. The co-convenor of Council’s Documents Committee, Ms Jackie Huggins, said that the Council had made great progress towards finalising its proposals about a document, which it would unveil at Corroboree 2000. "We have been greatly assisted by all the feedback and comments we have received from all over the country, arising out of the extensive public consultation process in the last six months of 1999," she said. Ms Huggins said that the Council had also discussed a presentation by Newspoll of its recent detailed quantitative survey of community attitudes related to a document, including specific opinions about Council’s Draft Declaration for Reconciliation. She noted that this followed an extensive qualitative survey which had been reported to the previous meeting, and subsequently leaked to some sections of the media. "Council commissioned this social research as part of its extensive consultation process. The research was designed to provide a backdrop on the views of the whole Australian community against which Council could look at the feedback it received from those attending its consultation meetings or returning their views in writing," Ms Huggins said. "Just as importantly, the Council saw this independent, objective research as holding a mirror up to the nation to show where it stood on issues central to reconciliation and to a document. As we always intended, we are publicly releasing the full reports on both parts of the research here today, because that is part of our responsibility – to report to the nation," she said. [Please find attached brief summary of main quantitative findings.] Ms Huggins said that the Council had also commissioned qualitative research to find out the views of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and would also release these results when the research was completed. Co-convenor of the Partnerships Committee, Mr Ian Spicer, said that the research revealed encouraging strong support for reconciliation and clear support for the notion of a document. "However, it also revealed a mixed picture in regard to specific paragraphs in our Draft Document, with overwhelming support or clear majority support for some, but a divided community in regard to others," he said. "More alarmingly, it also revealed continuing levels of widespread community ignorance and misunderstanding about such basic facts as whether Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are disadvantaged, and whether their living conditions are worse than other Australians. These results demonstrate a clear need for community education about these issues as a fundamental part of the ongoing reconciliation process, and the Council will urge governments and other appropriate sectors to take this on board," he said. Summary of main quantitative findings for media The research reveals a mixed picture of the Australian community’s views about reconciliation and related issues, and about a document of reconciliation and what should be in it.
Canberra 12 March 2000 |
