Final report of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation

The following are reflections by Council members from all three terms about their experiences and views of reconciliation.

'Reconciliation has made significant progress throughout the life of the Council. Corroboree 2000 to me was a turning point, I believe, where we witnessed many hundreds of thousands of people embracing reconciliation. The future of reconciliation will continue to progress slowly but surely and I believe education will play a major role. What the Council has done over its life span is to put the whole process in place and put reconciliation on the national agenda. It is now up to the younger people to deliver and I believe they can and will.'

'Corroboree 2000 was a magnificent climax to the work of the Council over the decade. But it was also a powerful sign that the nation is ready to move on beyond emotional good feelings to a lasting resolution of unfinished business. A legislative framework for serious negotiations must be created without delay.'

'Walking Together' proclaims the Council's journal. Those who walked Sydney Harbour Bridge, arms linked, 'Sorry' written in the sky above, experienced the spirit and reality of 10 years work. The Council's message for the future is so true, 'There is no worthwhile alternative to reconciliation for this nation and this land which we all share'.

'Progress towards reconciliation has been most remarkable at the grass roots level. The commitment of many hundreds of thousands of Australians was evident at the moving People's Walks for Reconciliation. Personally I have been struck by the enormous response I have had to television, radio and community group addresses.'

'I have been a Council Member for approximately nine years and have enjoyed my experience with the Reconciliation Council. In this time I have seen many changes happening toward "reconciliation" and I am proud of the Government setting up a Council for Reconciliation. Major changes have occurred and many are still to happen all over Australia. It has given the Aboriginal people of this country an incentive to walk together towards reconciliation.'

'Reconciliation is overcoming racism. To me it is about change - change in thinking, change in attitude and change in behaviour. It's about equity, fairness, justice and peace. It's trying to build a bridge across a sea of hate from the pain of the past on both sides to build a better future for all Australians to enjoy.'

'It has been an uplifting experience for me on the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. It's been great to see changes in attitudes on both sides. Much has been achieved, but we still need to be vigilant that we not become complacent, but continue in the work that has commenced in bringing about a united Australia.'

'The future for Australians is meshed with the future for the First Peoples. We look back, to find a better way forward. Reconciliation is people being different but finding solutions together. It is about Healing, Justice and Truth. For the future, Australia's heritage must embrace all its peoples and cultures.'

Reconciliation is being able to accept and own our history, and recognising and celebrating our diversity. I believe we are arriving at this. It has been my honour to have been a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, to have been involved with the consultation process, to have had the opportunity to speak with so many people and to have shared our views on reconciliation.

'I remember making the comment during my term on the Council for Aboriginal Development that the initiative taken by the then Government with multi-party support would put Australia on the world stage with the opportunity to lead the world in resolving a problem that previously was believed could only be resolved with guns and bombs and with horrific loss of life. I believe we have done just that. Well done Australia.'

'Not so long ago I never imagined that genuine relationships could develop between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. That was before I became involved in the reconciliation process. While I have witnessed phenomenal changes, others have proceeded at glacial pace. No-one can become complacent, but rejoice in what has been achieved. The journey continues.'

'It has been my privilege to have been a member of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and it has been a time for much personal soul searching. Furthermore, it has been an unforgettable experience, gaining insights into other people's beliefs, hopes and aspirations. There remain many issues to be addressed and milestones to be reached. Nonetheless I remain hopeful that the outcomes will be accepted warmly by all Australians.'

'To me reconciliation means bringing together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia in a spirit of unity, based on an agreed position about change which embraces equity and justice and maintains mutual cultural respect.'

'Reconciliation is about addressing and resolving this business of truly co-existing. It's about every man, woman and child coming to know and understand the history of this country and from there, knowing how to behave in it.'

'A united Australia that adopts the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spirit of giving and sharing will achieve the vision of the council - it is not impossible. Only by understanding will we develop our own unique national identity.'

As a founding Councillor, reconciliation has meant different things to me depending on whether it was Native Title (Exploring for Common Ground), appalling health, education and housing conditions, the stolen generation or Corroboree 2000. Australians are now more aware of these issues and if reconciliation becomes a Peoples' Movement, change will come quickly. Let us work for this.

'I believe most Australians now support the principle of reconciliation. They understand that Indigenous people won't go away and that their aspirations somehow must be accommodated within Australian society. The challenge now is to translate that broad public support into specific initiatives that will protect and celebrate Indigenous culture and combat the appalling levels of disadvantage that shame us all.'

'Reconciliation continues to sweep across our country with people from all walks of life building bridges and lasting relationships. As we value the role and place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, we're creating a richer future based on justice and truth. I've found what may start very slowly does gain momentum. It's been a privilege to take part.'

'I support both a people's movement and a government-led movement. The people's movement has been successful, but this government has failed to lead the process. It is now time to grapple seriously with a treaty. Reconciliation must be entrenched in the Australian Constitution or some other legal framework for the full recognition and protection of rights. Australian must do now what every other comparable nation on earth has, and make a lasting agreement with its Indigenous inhabitants.'

'Seeing every Australian political leader together for the first time in our history at Corroboree 2000; watching more than half a million Australians walk across bridges; hearing Australia applaud our Indigenous peoples at the Opening Ceremony and feeling the excitement of Cathy lighting the Olympic torch - made me think that none of this would have been possible without the leadership of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.'

'To me reconciliation means acknowledging that we are different and respecting those differences.'

'I believe the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation has been vital in bringing the process for reconciliation to the people of the nation. Until the Council started to confer with average people, reconciliation was seen as being something for governments. Now it is a people's movement. Without reconciliation this country of Australia cannot, and will not, go forward.'

'Many people will judge the accomplishments of the Council by the successful reconciliation marches held around the nation. I think it goes further than that - 10 years ago no-one equated the word "reconciliation" with the Council or with the Aboriginal community. In 2000, I would suggest that the majority of the community (whether they agree with it or not) connect the word "reconciliation" with mending bridges between the Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. I think raising that awareness has been the success of the Council.'

'After 10 years reconciliation has become an integral part of the Australian psyche. So many people have contributed to making the dream of a united Australia walking together a reality as we have seen demonstrated in communities across the country. Yet there remains unfinished business for which we must all accept responsibility in the years ahead.'

'From the ethnic perspective, reconciliation is about much more than simply uniting "black" and "white" Australia. It is about bringing together all Australians from diverse backgrounds, regardless of race, culture or creed and regardless of when and where they came from. Reconciliation is about building a bridge between First Peoples and newcomers by creating understanding and respect between different communities. To me, a reconciled nation is a harmonious, just and equitable multicultural society. It is my unshakeable belief that better race relations in this nation will become a reality and Australia will be a better Country.'

'During the last decade, the Council has created the foundations for reconciliation. It is now unstoppable! As a result, whatever we do as individuals or a nation will be influenced by this imperative. It has been a rare privilege to be part of such a national movement which will provide hope in a divided world.'

'The working of the Reconciliation Council has been an exercise in achieving what will one day be a common and joyful experience for all Australians, in a truly reconciled society. Our Council laughed, cried, argued, agreed, disagreed together; black, white and ethnic. Bonding came through a willingness to listen, respect, forgive and accept. Ultimately we were bound by the rock-solid, shared commitment to making our nation a fairer, gentler, more tolerant place for everyone.'

'Reconciliation is not about people being nice to one another, nor about what is sometimes called conflict resolution - especially if imposed by powerful people on the less powerful. True reconciliation must be built on a foundation of justice and equity between those who are alienated from one another.'

1837: Saxe Bannister, first Attorney General of New South Wales, makes a submission to the Select Committee of the House of Commons arguing that treaties should be entered into with Aboriginal people and that their rights to land should be respected.

January 1938: The Aborigines Progressive Association declared a Day of Mourning on Australia Day and held the first Aborigines Conference in Sydney. The Conference resolved to appeal to the nation to give Indigenous Australians full citizenship rights.

1963 The Yolngu people of Yirrkala send a bark petition to Federal Parliament protesting about the government's decision to grant a bauxite mining lease on their traditional land. Parliament sets up a bipartisan committee to investigate the grievances, which subsequently acknowledges the people's moral right to their lands.

1965 The Freedom Riders undertake a 3,200 km bus tour of northern NSW drawing public attention to the racism, discrimination and social disadvantage endured by Aboriginal people.

1966 The Gurindji people at Wave Hill Station in the Northern Territory, led by elder Vincent Lingiari, stage a walk-off and extensive strike for better wages and living conditions leading to a demand for return of their traditional lands. Traditional land is handed back in 1975.

1967: Referendum sees 92 per cent of Australians vote to give the Commonwealth government power to legislate for Aboriginal people and to allow them to be counted in the Census.

1970 The Yirrkala people launch legal action against the mining company Nabalco and the Commonwealth in the NT Supreme Court (Milirrpum v Nabalco and the Commonwealth). The judge decides against them, ruling that communal Aboriginal title to land was a concept not recognised in Australian law.

1971 Neville Thomas Bonner becomes the first Aboriginal parliamentarian following his election as Senator for Queensland. A loyal Liberal, he crossed the floor on several occasions to vote on Aboriginal issues.

1972 On Australia Day Aboriginal people erect the Tent Embassy on the lawns outside Parliament House, Canberra, drawing attention to their feeling that they are 'foreigners in their own country so long as they have no legal freehold title to any part of Australia.'

1972: Prime Minister William McMahon makes an important statement signalling a major change from the old assimilation policy. The statement sets out a number of policy objectives, including the equal right of Aborigines 'to hold effective and respected places within one Australian society'. At the same time, they were to be encouraged to preserve and develop their own culture.

1972: The Whitlam Government establishes the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and makes a firm commitment to the policy of self-determination. The new Government also sets up the National Aboriginal Consultative Committee.

1973 Commissioned by the Commonwealth Government, the Aboriginal Land Rights Commission, headed by A E Woodward, examines matters related to Aboriginal land and its two reports recommend ways of recognising Aboriginal title.

1975: The Australian Senate unanimously endorses a resolution put up by Senator Neville Bonner acknowledging prior ownership of this country by Aboriginal people and seeking compensation for their dispossession. Federal Parliament passes the Racial Discrimination Act.

1976 Pastor Sir Doug Nicholls appointed Governor of South Australia, following a lengthy career in sport and community work and his investiture as a Knight at Buckingham Palace in 1972.

1976: The Fraser Government effects the passing of the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act and brings the new legislation into operation.

1978: Dr H. C. Coombes initiates movement towards a treaty with Indigenous Australians.

1979: The Aboriginal Treaty Committee is formed and the National Aboriginal Conference calls for a treaty between the Commonwealth government and Aboriginal people. The Hon. Fred Chaney, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, welcomes the initiative and funds a nationwide consultation process.

1986: Pope John Paul II visits Alice Springs and makes a public statement saying 'There is a need for a just and proper settlement (with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) that still lies unachieved in Australia.'

1987: Aboriginal Affairs Minister Gerry Hand presents to the Parliament the statement Foundations for the Future , aimed at progressing the idea of a compact with Indigenous Australians.

1988 The Barunga Statement, written on bark and presented to the Prime Minister at the annual Barunga cultural and sporting festival, calls for Aboriginal self-management, a national system of land rights and recognition of Aboriginal rights.

1988: Australian Heads of Churches issue a statement, Towards Reconciliation in Australian Society - Reconciliation and Aboriginal Australians , arguing for just and proper settlement of differences and the healing of division.

1990 The Commonwealth Government establishes the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) to develop and administer Aboriginal policy and programs. Dr Lowitja O'Donoghue is the first chairperson.

1990: New Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Robert Tickner announces Government's intention of seeking greater cross-party agreement on Aboriginal Affairs.

January 1991: Minister Tickner releases discussion paper outlining proposals for advancing reconciliation, including an education campaign and the establishment of a Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.

February 1991: Robert Tickner appointed as Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Aboriginal Reconciliation.

May 1991: Minister tables Report of the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody which inquired into the deaths of 99 Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. The final recommendation supports the concept of a process of reconciliation, with Commissioner Elliott Johnston commenting that 'All political leaders and their parties recognise that reconciliation between the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in Australia must be achieved if community division, discord and injustice to Aboriginal people are to be avoided.'

June 1991: Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act is passed in the House of Representatives with unanimous support.

August 1991: Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Act is passed in the Senate with unanimous support.

February 1992: The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation holds its first meeting in Canberra.

June 1992: High Court hands down its Mabo decision, recognising special relationship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with the land.

September 1993: First National Indigenous Business Conference in Alice Springs.

September 1993: First national Week of Prayer for Reconciliation with support from all major religious groups.

October 1993: Meeting at Fitzroy Crossing of representatives of the Kimberley Land Council and Aboriginal pastoralists, the Pastoralists and Grainhandlers Association, and the WA Farmers Federation - the first wide ranging meeting in 100 years between these groups.

December 1993: Launch of the Australians for Reconciliation network as a means of broadening communication between the Council and the wider community.

December 1993: Native Title Act passed by Federal Parliament recognising native title and providing a process by which native title rights can be established.

March 1994: First meeting of the Joint Council on Aboriginal Land and Mining (J-CALM), representing the first occasion when senior mining company executives and senior Aboriginal leaders have come together to discuss issues of mutual concern.

July 1994: The Uniting Church National Assembly formally apologises for past wrongs and pledges to work in solidarity with the Aboriginal and Islander Congress.

July 1994: Council holds its first cultural awareness training for journalists in the Kimberley region of WA.

November 1994: Walking Together: The First Steps is presented to Parliament, documenting the lessons learned during the first term of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.

1994: The Australian Football League releases a new code of conduct on racism which receives strong endorsement from the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation.

March 1995: Council presents Going Forward: Social Justice for the First Australians to Prime Minister Paul Keating. This major document contains 78 recommendations covering a range of issues including access to land, protection of culture and heritage, and the provision of adequate health, housing and other services.

July 1995: Government amends the Flags Act to give official recognition to the Aboriginal Flag and the Torres Strait Islander Flag.

February 1996: Aboriginal, pastoral and environmental organisations on Cape York sign the Cape York Land Use Heads of Agreement , showing that organisations representing disparate interests can agree on diverse land uses. The agreement is seen as the first step towards a possible Regional Agreement as defined in the Commonwealth Native Title Act.

May 1996: Council launches the first National Reconciliation Week at a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister John Howard, Opposition Leader Kim Beazley and Democrats Leader Cheryl Kernot.

June 1996: Council announces grant to the Deans of Australian Medical Schools for the development of a cultural awareness training module for medical students.

June 1996: Council convenes Key Stakeholders Meetings on Native Title with representatives from indigenous organisations and from the pastoral, farming, mining and exploration industries, to exchange views on native title issues and discuss possible agreed positions.

May 26-28 1997: Australian Reconciliation Convention, convened by the Council. Attended by 1,800 participants, this event becomes an historic landmark in the reconciliation process and stimulates a grassroots people's movement around the country.

December 1997: Considerable growth in the number of local reconciliation groups and strengthening of the peoples movement for reconciliation in the six months since the convention.

February 1998: Council identifies three major goals for its final term: a Document of Reconciliation; Partnerships to achieve social and economic equality for Indigenous people; and a people's movement to sustain the reconciliation process beyond 2000.

27 May 2000 At Corroboree 2000 Council ceremonially presents the national reconciliation documents to national leaders and the people of Australia. The following day, more than 250,000 people join the People's Walk for Reconciliation across Sydney Harbour Bridge.

May-December 2000 Hundreds of thousands of Australians join other bridge walks across the country.

December 2000 Council presents its final report, including recommendations, to the Prime Minister and the Commonwealth Parliament.

1 January 2001 Centenary of Federation and the end of the life of the Council.

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