"Milestone moment for our people" : More Than Half a Billion in Funding on Table for Aboriginal Territorians to Benefit
THE eighth anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart (is) an important day in our shared Australian history.
The product of decades of activism and advocacy, the Uluru Statement represents an invitation from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to all Australians to walk together on a path for a better future.
The Statement culminated in the 2023 Referendum, which was supported by more than 80% of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, including those in remote communities across the NT who voted heavily in favour.
We know the result, we accept the result, but we must move beyond the result. Aboriginal self-determination did not start with the Uluru Statement, and it did not end with the Referendum.
This anniversary marks the start of a re-elected political term and the end of a campaign where Aboriginal people were again used to ignite culture wars across the country.
We know the results of the Referendum will inevitably be thrown back into the spotlight. Some commentary will be productive, some will not. Ultimately, we must stay true to the fundamental values of the Uluru Statement - recognition, empowerment, and self-determination of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. A shared future for all Australians built on mutual respect, truth and fairness.
The Uluru Statement continues to remind us of the imperative need to achieve real and lasting change for the First Peoples of this land we now all call home. Too much is at stake if we don't. At Aboriginal Investment NT, we have the single greatest opportunity to support and empower Aboriginal Territorians to self-determine their own lives.
Every decision we make is grounded in the self-determination of our people and informed by our Aboriginal-majority Board who come from all corners of the NT. The calls in the Uluru Statement from the Heart remain relevant, now more than ever.
National Indigenous Times,
September 27, 2024