SOCIAL JUSTICE COMMISSIONER: NOW MORE THAN EVER, AUSTRALIA MUST RECONCILE WITH ITS FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss (Supplied: Interim Truth and Treaty Body)

BY ASAD KHAN

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner, Katie Kiss, is a proud Kaanju and Birri/Widi woman who grew up in Rockhampton, Central Queensland on the lands of the Darumbal People. 

She marked this year’s National Reconciliation Week by calling on all Australians to overcome generations of disadvantage and division when it comes to First Nations rights and to forge a path for unity.

Ms Kiss said for more than 230 years, the First Nations of this country have been working tirelessly to progress the Reconciliation Agenda.

She said there are systemic failures that Indigenous communities face in all sectors including health, racism, youth justice and there are several things that contributed to the failed voice referendum last October.

“I think part of the challenge is that there is not a great focus on Civics education in the Australian educational curriculum.”

“Mis and disinformation only served to further embed the negative stereotypes and give rise to the racism that we've seen as a result of the referendum in the community and most of that I believe is based on a lack of Education of Australians of history of this country and also the impact of colonization on First Nations people both historically and in a today's sense,” she said.

“Our ancestors were proud Warriors. We have been resilient in the face of adversity. We have survived 250 years of colonization and impact.

“We nurtured this land for 65,000 years a referendum that says that we shouldn't have a voice does not diminish the Legacy that our ancestors have left us or the pride that we should feel and being part of one of the two oldest living cultures in the world. I don't think that we can afford to walk away from the reconciliation movement,”

Listen to Ngaarda Media’s Lead Journalist Asad Khan speak with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Katie Kiss: