Building new relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and all other Australians is fundamental to achieving reconciliation.

Reconciliation is really all about forging a new relationship between the wider community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples - one that heals the wounds of the past and ensures a fair go for all Australians. There are essentially five building blocks to reconciliation. They are:

• Understanding and accepting the history of our shared experience between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community;

• Respecting indigenous cultures and identity;

• Recognising that past injustice continues to give rise to present injustices for indigenous Australians;

• Identifying what more needs to be done and making changes within Australian society; and

• A commitment to overcome indigenous disadvantage, and provide justice, equity and respect for all Australians.

It is in our communities, at work and in clubs, churches and schools, playing sport and attending meetings, that we all interact every day and, in our own ways, solve problems. That ordinary contact between all sorts of different people, when you put it to work on reconciliation, lays a foundation for success. But more than that needs to be done to bring communities together in the spirit of reconciliation - and more is being done all over Australia.

In places such as Newcastle in New South Wales, Bunbury in Western Australia and Ti-Tree in the Northern Territory, indigenous communities and local governments have written their own 'documents of reconciliation' (see Sheet 2) to begin building new relationships and to commit a future to reconciliation. There are many other ways it can be done.

Forging new relationships does not mean drawing the line and forgetting our past. It means moving towards a united Australia based on a better understanding of the past, and an acceptance of the place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in contemporary Australia.

Reconciliation will be achieved when all Australians recognise Australia's diverse history, respect each other and build new relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the wider community. You can help do this in your local area, in your schools, sporting groups business organisations or churches.