Elaine Telford opened the gathering and welcomed Aunty Ali Golding, the WRN Aboriginal cultural mentor, who acknowledged Country. Aunty Ali talked about The Block, where she had lived for 27 years, and said that during that time, there were so many good families, so many good times, and it was the birthplace of all the Black organisations, such as the Black Theatre and others. She paid tribute to Pemulwuy, the ancestors and the Gadigal custodians, and said that The Block community was so proud, carrying on its traditions, which gave it strength.
Since 2012, the WRN has held three forums on proposed changes to the Australian Constitution to recognise the First Australians. The most recent of these was held at the Ashfield Town Hall, in co-operation with Marrickville Residents for Reconciliation, ANTaR Inner West and the Sutherland Reconciliation Group. This well-attended forum inspired the production of the DVD called Exploring Perspectives, which featured the forum’s four keynote speakers.
Jane Innes, who helped edit the DVD, mentioned the significance of Mabo Day, and thanked the speakers appearing on the DVD: Professor George Williams AO, Nicole Watson, Kirsten Gray and Jeff McMullen AM.
Rasme Prior, WRN’s Torres Strait Island cultural mentor, spoke about her uncle, Koiki Mabo. Mabo not only proclaimed and won his case, upsetting Terra Nullius and proving that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders are the First Peoples and that there is Native Title, he was also a teacher, an activist, and passionate about his culture. He established the first black school in Townsville. She also paid homage to her Aunty Kennedy, who guided and encouraged Koiki, and who said: “It’s not about the journey, what’s important is getting there.”
The DVD opens with Jacinta Tobin, a Darug woman singing one of her songs, followed by a Welcome to Country by Patricia Blackman, a member of the Ashfield Aboriginal Consultative Committee. The first speaker, Professor George Williams AO, talks about the time when the Constitution was written – a time when no recognition was given to anything that happened on this continent before 1788 and with the belief that the Aboriginal people were a “dying race”. Although the 1967 referendum meant that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were counted in the census, racist powers were retained. And even the Racial Discrimination Act has been overridden twice in the last 15 years. No other nation today still gives power to its government to discriminate negatively on the basis of race.
Kirsten Gray, Muruwari woman and CEO of the NSW Reconciliation Council, spoke about the necessity of changing the Constitution because of unfinished business, and even then, it would not be a “magic bullet” nor the “end of the process”. She stressed the importance of respect.
Jeff McMullen AM praised the work of the Expert Panel, whose members have made recommendations on how the Constitution should be changed. He said that the Constitution was based on deception, denial and exclusion and that the stain of discrimination must go. He also spoke about the need for recognition of self-determination and sovereignty.
Nicole Watson, a member of the Birri-Gubba People and Senior Researcher at Jumbunna House of Learning UTS, mentioned differences of opinion and diversity among Indigenous people, and that people like herself want more than constitutional recognition. She urged everyone to read the report produced by the Expert Panel and stressed that self-determination is what is really needed. That means a treaty should be the next step. She also speaks about racial aspects of the law in the Northern Territory intervention and the high number of Indigenous people in prisons.
What came out of the forum was the need for respect, reflection, recognition, working together and action to spread the word.
After the conclusion of the DVD, people were invited to comment. People liked the clarity, passion, variety, diversity and simplicity of language at the forum.
A general discussion followed on ways to promote and distribute the DVD. The meeting concluded with Helen Kearins performing her beautiful and topical song, “Write the First Chapter”.
