GREENS WA CANDIDATE CALLS FOR TRUTH-TELLING COMMISSION AHEAD OF WA’S BICENTENARY

Greens WA candidate for Cannington, Eric Hayward

BY ASAD KHAN

Greens WA candidate for Cannington, Eric Hayward, has called for the establishment of a bipartisan Truth Telling Commission ahead of Western Australia’s bicentenary in 2029.

Speaking at the Perth Sovereign Day rally, he emphasised the need for a formal process to acknowledge Indigenous survival and the ongoing impact of colonisation.

“We call on the community to urgently support a West Australian Truth Telling Commission, which must be implemented before 2029,”

The bicentenary will mark 200 years since British colonisation in Western Australia, a milestone he argues should not be celebrated without recognising the dispossession and survival of Indigenous peoples who have lived in the region for over 48,000 years.

“Australia is alone in celebrating colonisation. I urge both sides of politics to present a bipartisan approach and support a Truth Telling Commission in the next parliament,” he said.

“It is time to move beyond the bickering, division, and denying the truth about our shared history.”

Mr Hayward, a former state school history teacher and current postgraduate researcher at the University of Western Australia, criticised the state’s education system for failing to reflect Indigenous perspectives in the curriculum.

He directed responsibility toward Minister for Education Dr Tony Buti, stating that the current curriculum does not adequately teach the true history of WA’s past.

Left: Clint Uinck the Greens candidate  for the Upper House in the State election and for Swan at the Federal election. Middle: Cousin/brother Hedley Mungart Hayward, a longtime member and supporter of the First Nations Greens in W.A. Right: Eric Hayward

A proposed Truth Telling Commission, according to Mr Hayward, should hold hearings across every region of the state, including the Pilbara, to document Indigenous oral histories and accounts of colonial violence inflicted by British authorities, settlers, pastoralists, and police.

He said these histories should be incorporated into school education programs to ensure future generations learn about Indigenous survival.

“Tell the truth so we can acknowledge and heal the past and build pathways to unify, not divide,”

“A truth-telling commission is needed because in 2029, Western Australia will mark 200 years of colonial rule.”

Mr Hayward believes recording and teaching local Indigenous oral histories in schools will help bridge divisions and create a more truthful representation of Western Australia’s history.

“We must tell both sides of history,” he said.

“By doing so, we can foster a more united and informed West Australian society.”

Mr Hayward’s call for a Truth Telling Commission aligns with growing national discussions around reconciliation and Indigenous recognition.

Whether the initiative will gain bipartisan support remains to be seen, but his push underscores the ongoing demand for truth and justice in Western Australia’s historical narrative.

Listen to Ngaarda Media’s Asad Khan speak with Eric Hayward: