Reconciliation: 2022 Federal Election

Whichever party forms government needs to be brave and ambitious when it comes to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs.

Reconciliation has had multi-party support across this parliament and needs to in any future parliament.

Progress on reconciliation is what will bond our country together and set the foundation for a more just and equitable nation.

For Australia to move forward on its reconciliation journey, an incoming Australian Government must, within the next Federal parliamentary term, work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to:

Act on Voice, referendum, and representation

  • Support the aims in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, including by introducing legislation setting out support, a timeframe, and process, for a referendum to achieve a constitutionally enshrined Voice to Parliament.
  • Work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to progress and co-design implementation of representative models identified as part of the Indigenous Voice Co-design process.
  • Work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations , to appropriately fund and meet the targets and outcomes under the Priority Reforms of the new National Agreement on Closing the Gap.

Support local, regional and national truth-telling

  • Working with Reconciliation Australia to advance and support the truth telling agenda
  • Increased investment in research, including through ARC, research block grants or other funding mechanisms, to uncover the untold, and under-told, parts of our shared history as it relates to the relationship between First Peoples and other Australians.
  • Build greater public recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures in the public domain including through memorialisation, renaming electorates and other public places.
  • Strengthen the national curriculum to ensure it better encompasses Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures.

Strengthen legal and cultural foundations for respectful relationships

  • Fund a long term National Anti-Racism Framework to guide actions on anti-racism by government, the Australian Human Rights Commission, NGOs, business, educators, health professionals, police, other justice authorities, civil society, and the community.
  • Establish a national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children’s commissioner to help drive progress towards closing the gap in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care. Strengthen First Nations cultural heritage protection through funding and engaging in a co-design process with the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance and other First Nations stakeholders, and acting on the outcomes of that process to make necessary policy.
  • Enhance Reconciliation Australia’s funding to continue leading the national reconciliation process to support increasing and multiplying our reach and impact with corporate, community, government, education and Indigenous organisations, and support local truth-telling processes.

Roadmap for Reconciliation

The next Federal Government, working across the Parliament, must place reconciliation at the heart of its work.

For Australia to move forward on its reconciliation journey, we ask the incoming Australian Government to work in genuine partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to urgently address these issues within the next Federal parliamentary term. 

Read the full Roadmap for Reconciliation which outlines the path the government must take to achieve reconciliation.

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Paul House with gum leaves and smoke
Paul Girrawah House

Paul Girrawah House has multiple First Nation ancestries from the South-East Canberra region, including the Ngambri-Ngurmal (Walgalu), Pajong (Gundungurra), Wallabollooa (Ngunnawal) and Erambie/Brungle (Wiradyuri) family groups.

Paul acknowledges his diverse First Nation history, he particularly identifies as a descendant of Onyong aka Jindoomang from Weereewaa (Lake George) and Henry ‘Black Harry’ Williams from Namadgi who were both multilingual, essentially Walgalu-Ngunnawal-Wiradjuri speaking warriors and Ngunnawal–Wallaballooa man William Lane aka ‘Billy the Bull’ - Murrjinille.

Paul was born at the old Canberra hospital in the centre of his ancestral country and strongly acknowledges his First Nation matriarch ancestors, in particular his mother Dr Aunty Matilda House-Williams and grandmother, Ms Pearl Simpson-Wedge.

Paul completed a Bachelor of Community Management from Macquarie University, and Graduate Certificate in Wiradjuri Language, Culture and Heritage and Management from CSU.

Paul provided the Welcome to Country for the 47th Opening of Federal Parliament in 2022. Paul is Board Director, Ngambri Local Aboriginal Land Council, Member Indigenous Reference Group, National Museum of Australia and Australian Government Voice Referendum Engagement Group.  

Paul works on country with the ANU, First Nations Portfolio as a Senior Community Engagement Officer

Acknowledgement of Country

Reconciliation Australia acknowledges Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing  connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures; and to Elders past and present. 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples should be aware that this website contains images or names of people who have passed away.

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