Issue

What is Reconciliation?

Reconciliation isn't an easy issue to understand, but here's a good place to start.

Submitted 25/05/2006 By rachelhiggi Views 77214 Comments 10 Updated 7/11/2007


Photographer : Bentley Smith

What is Reconciliation?

Reconciliation is an attempt to improve relations between Aboriginal and non-Indigenous Australians.

The history of the movement

The Reconciliation movement began in 1967 when a 90% majority of Australians voted to allow the Commonwealth government to make decisions respecting Aboriginal Australians.

Since then, the path towards Reconciliation has been filled with progress and setbacks. In 1972, the Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established on the steps of Parliament House in Canberra. It continues to serve as a symbol of the fight for Indigenous sovereignty in Australia.

In 1976, the first Aboriginal Land Rights Act was established. Though it was very limited and was only enacted in the Northern Territory, the Act did recognise Aboriginals as traditional land owners for the first time in Australian history.

The biggest step towards land rights reconciliation came in 1992 with the Mabo case. In this court case, the Australian High Court stated that terra nullius (the policy that no group of people owned the land before European contact) was invalid. The Court also formally recognised Aboriginal Australians as the first and traditional owners of Australian land. This court case opened the doors for countless Native Title land claims in the following years.

In 1995,a national enquiry into the federal government policy of taking Aboriginal children from their homes in the first half of the 20th century commenced. The findings of the enquiry led to the establishment of National Sorry Day. While many politicians recognise National Sorry Day every year, the federal government, under the direction of Prime Minister John Howard, has not issued a formal apology for the policy.

The Reconciliation Movement culminated in the People’s Walk for Reconciliation on 28 May 2000. On that day, 250,000 people walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in a public declaration that “Reconciliation is the work of all Australians.”

Unfortunately, few public acts have been displayed since the People’s Walk.

How do I know this?

People’s Walk for Reconciliation Quick Guide http://austlii.law.uts.edu.au/au/other/IndigLRes/c...

Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, Indigenous Australians, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Aborigine


Discuss Now

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xxRubyliciousxx 30-Jun-2008

Reconcilation to me is something very important and a serious matter, people complain about racism being an issue, reconcilation could seriously be the answer, what could be more important then proving that skin colour dosnt mean anything when it comes to picking who your friends are,I would rather be known to live in a country that can be friends with everyone, especially the traditional owners of the land, they have done alot for us, we should respect that fact, the this country is everyones, where just one big family, no matter what colour

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adrienne 11-Feb-2008

13th of feb should be interesting...



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Sidney Watts 24-Jul-2007

Reconciliation is an interesting concept to me, as it relates to accepting the past, forgiving actions, understanding differences and healing a broken relationship or simply getting two things to correspond. The “relationship” part specifically interests me, as the opinion of Terra Nullius meant there was no-one here to start a relationship with and the 1976 Referendum meant that Aboriginal people we were not even considered “people”, as we came under the Flora and Fauna Act. The Commonwealth Government has now placed an entire population of Aboriginal people into “one basket” and is manufacturing a national “Individual” responsibility to reconcile with Aboriginal people. However, there are over 250 language groups in Australia with their own local government structures and there were even more tribes when the white settlers/invaders arrived.

The truth is that my opinion does not help the Reconciliation process, as I tend to think that I will never reconcile with the Government until they STOP destroying my mother-earth with mining, farming, cutting down trees, digging up uranium and polluting the air with hazardous gases. Yet I wear a gold ring, eat cows, use power, drive a car and write on paper. Yes I am reconciliation hypocrite but only due to the fact that my aspiration are too high.

I need to reconcile with my ancestors land by making the small changes within myself before asking a Government to make big changes. From Little Things, Big Things Grow - Sidney (Ngarritj) Watts

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rachel 26-May-2007

Does things like 'Sorry Day' really help?
The Government can apologise for what happened to indigenous people all they like, but does that really make any of those people living in 3rd world conditions with no running water, no access to healthcare or education and where their babies die of cholera and typhoid, feel any better?
It takes more than a few words and throwing money at people to create a better future for aboriginal people.

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funnelweb 23-Apr-2007

I am very interested to hear from anyone who has any idea on how reconciliation might be achieved? I agree, it is our responsibility as Australians but how? Kev- you say it's about recognising indigenous claims for native title, well that is a matter for the courts not us. But let me tell you something, there is no evidence whatsoever that native title has improved the living conditions of Aborigines. You cannot lease, subdivide, place a mortgage on or transfer native title. There is evidence that native title post being granted is rife with corruption and internal politics.

I would argue that indigenous Australians need to be treated as equals, they need free access to education, medicine, food, housing, employment opportunities. Now, there's a long path to reconciliation and as much as some people may hate to admit it, reconciliation takes two, and no amount of saying 'sorry' for past misdeeds will improve their health standards and welfare.

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