It has been a momentous week in the Australian Parliament. We have witnessed the first Indigenous Welcome to Country. We have also seen the issuing of an apology by the Australian Government to Indigenous Australians for past injustices, and for the hurt, pain and suffering still experienced as a consequence of those injustices.

As the Australian people say Sorry what does this apology mean in light of Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion Theme for 2008: Just want Justice – a call to action?

I was born in the 1960’s into a middle class white Australian family and although I grew up in country New South Wales, I knew very little about the local Indigenous community. I was told “don’t go near those “black fellas” who spend their days loitering in the local streets, destroying their houses and drinking”.

But what did I really know? My schooling was limited to information about the “savages who Captain Cook encountered”, a little information about hunting and gathering, the ceremony of Coroboree, and a few scattered Aboriginal dream time stories. As a young adult the information I received continued to be prejudiced against the Indigenous community with stories in the press skewed to show only one side of the coin. The headlines frequently lead with Indigenous Australians associated with the squandering and misuse of money, glue sniffing, violence and crime, alcohol and drug addiction. It was always “them” and “us”. I was taught to believe that it was their own fault. “We have given them everything and yet they still cannot help themselves,” was a common refrain.

Our differences became more important than our common humanity.

I never questioned what I was told and never knowingly sought out an Australian Indigenous person to speak to until I was in my forties. It was around this time that there was a change in Australia – when the Sea of Hands campaign appeared, and close to two hundred thousand people were marching across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Indigenous justice was being openly talked about. Our consciences had been pricked.

Today the more time that I spend learning about Indigenous culture, meeting with Indigenous people or immersing myself in their dance or art the more I have come to question what “sorry” really means to me.

I am sorry that I lived in ignorance. I am sorry that I did not question what I was told. I am sorry I did not see Indigenous Australians as the same as me.

Out of this recognition must come the commitment to stand in solidarity with the Indigenous community and bring about Indigenous equality and thus justice. If we are to become champions of dignity, masters of understanding and pioneers of respect we must recognise that saying sorry is a crucial step, but just one of the many which we must take.

Access to facilities and infrastructure that many of us take for granted such as a reliable water source, electricity and access to education and health care services are too often limited for those who live in remote areas, particularly in the Northern Territory (NT).

Discrimination is also apparent with regard to Indigenous rights to access land, protection of cultural heritage and the right to self determination. Discriminatory measures such as mandatory quarantining of welfare payments, and compulsory land acquisition are evident, with questions arising about the Federal Government’s adherence to the Racial Discrimination Act.

So where do we go from here?

Working at Caritas Australia has taught me the importance of building strong relationships and partnerships with Australian Indigenous people. Working together in solidarity.

Pope John Paul II in his encyclical “on social concern” (Solicitudo Rei Socialis) in 1987 defined solidarity as “ a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good; that is to say to the good of all and of each individual because we are really responsible for all.”

But how do we do this?

Jeffry Odell Korgen in his book Solidarity will transform the World writes, “how we work with people living in poverty reflects our belief in human dignity. If we truly believe in the sacredness of human life and the dignity of the human person we must continually ask if we foster dependency or development through our ministries.”

Do we act with the understanding that the Indigenous People of Australia have resources, or do we treat them as though they were dependent and helpless and worthy only of our pity or our intervention?

David Cooper, National Director of ANTaR (Australians for Native Title and reconciliation) writes: “Actions in support of Indigenous justice must take their lead from Indigenous people themselves, be informed by them and reflect their aspirations. This is fundamental. Developing such relations is in itself a measure of success that should not be underestimated, as is the encouragement and strength that Indigenous people derive from the non-Indigenous support they receive.”

As we have heard, many Indigenous communities in Australia face major social problems including poverty, low self-esteem, substance abuse, domestic violence, child abuse, inadequate education and unemployment. These problems are often compounded by regional isolation and erosion of cultural identity.

In the remote outback community of Beswick/Wugular in NT Caritas Australia is working in partnership with the Djilpin Arts Aboriginal Corporation to strengthen relationships within the community, create job opportunities and support young Indigenous Australians to develop a sense of pride in their culture and their own futures through the “Learning My Dreaming” project.

‘Learning My Dreaming’ aims to bring about positive change in the community by developing pride and encouraging respect for traditional Indigenous family values, culture, land and ceremony.

One of the participants in this project is Amos, a young Miali/Rembarrnga man. His story is told through our Project Compassion materials for Lent 2008. To read Amos’s story and gain an understanding of how Caritas Australia is working in solidarity to address injustice in Indigenous communities go to Caritas Australia.

Anna Orchard
Communications Officer, Caritas Australia