2020-10-05
The ACT Greens will establish a First Nations Social Justice Commissioner within the Human Rights Commission, as part of a comprehensive plan designed to support First Nations people in our community.
The First Nations Social Justice Commissioner will be an identified Indigenous position within the Human Rights Commission with powers of oversight to work for the wellbeing of First Nations peoples in the ACT. A designated champion and advocate for First Nations social justice, the Commissioner will drive reform across the ACT Government to improve outcomes for First Nations peoples in consultation with the Elected Body and our First Nations community controlled organisations.
The ACT Greens will also:
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give First Nations community control to Boomanulla Oval, the Yarramundi Cultural Centre and the Ngunnawal Bush Healing Farm
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support the community to establish a Ngunawal Language Centre at the Yarramundi Cultural centre with dedicated full time staff to work to revive the Ngunawal language and develop a language program for the ACT primary school curriculum.
The Greens acknowledge that First Nations people have a unique relationship with the land and water—that their rights and obligations as custodians must be respected—and that sovereignty was never ceded.
Comments attributable to Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng, ACT Greens First Nations’ spokesperson:
“The Greens acknowledge that the First Nations people of the ACT and surrounding regions were the first sovereign peoples of this place and that they lived on this land according to their own laws, customs and governance systems from time immemorial. They took care of their lands and their peoples and lived by their customary laws which were still in operation when their lands were colonised.
“The Greens will work together with First Nations peoples in shared healing of our history, our land, our ways of being and doing.
“We will sit with our First Nations families, peoples, organisations and communities, recognising the diversity of histories, views and dreams. We will collaborate recognising that self determination is the basis of all our work together. We respect the ways of knowing, being and doing of First Nations peoples and know they must be the foundation of this work together.”
The full details of the package can be found at: greens.org.au/act/listening-deeply-to-first-nations-people
Statement ends
Media contact
Clancy Barnard M 0438 869 332 E clancy.barnard@act.greens.org.au