Dorinda Cox (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

January is a tough month for many First Nations people around the country, and this one, in some ways, was especially tough, as the aftermath of the referendum is still hanging over us, despite the fact this government has moved on without a backup plan to help us address many of the issues and injustices that First Nations people still face. In some ways it was reassuring to be surrounded by our family, community and allies who are proud to show their love and respect for our culture which has sustained us for 65,000 years. We stood in the hurt of the past and mourned for all we have lost—our culture, our language, our sacred sites, our brothers and sisters and our children. But we also stood in healing.

We cannot change the past. We cannot change the past of 236 years of colonisation, oppression, violence and attempts to completely wipe out First Nations people from our land—this land. We cannot change what our ancestors went through. But there is always time to change the present and to shape the future that we want to live in—a future that sees equality and equity for all that call Australia home.

We are entering a new chapter, one of truth-telling and justice. It is now time for this place to establish a truth and justice commission and for all other parliaments across this country to do the same. It is beyond time to recognise the ancientness of this land, our culture and our peoples, and collectively preserve and respect those footprints of our old people, while holding space to give power to a future grounded in self-determination and human rights. It is time to speak openly about our past so that we can learn from it, heal together as a nation and move forward.