Thursday, 9 June 2022

National Reconciliation Week

Ms SHING (Eastern Victoria) (10:22): President, before I start my members statement I want to put on record my love and friendship and respect for you. I hope you are okay.

We have just concluded a range of activities for National Reconciliation Week which are very squarely directed toward acknowledging the pain in our history, acknowledging the work that is yet to be done and acknowledging the progress toward treaty and toward the implementation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart. The start of National Reconciliation Week was something coinciding with the Apology and the statement from the heart, and the end of reconciliation week marks the anniversary of the historic Mabo decision. Eddie Mabo passed away a number of months before a decision that would recognise fundamental changes to the way in which the law understood and respected traditional owner connection with land and with country. That work in his name and in the name of so many others goes on today. In Victoria we are so proud to engage with but more importantly to listen to traditional owners. It has been an ongoing conversation, including throughout eastern Victoria, including with Gunnai/Kurnai communities and with the Gunaikurnai Land & Waters Aboriginal Corporation. I thank everybody who is part of these conversations. I look forward to ongoing discussions and to working with the federal minister, Linda Burney, on achieving a whole-of-country solution to these issues.