Fed: Deane warns reconciliation in danger

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2004
Fed: Deane warns reconciliation in danger

By James Grubel, Chief Political Correspondent

CANBERRA, April 23 AAP - Former governor-general Sir William Deane today warned that
Aboriginal reconciliation was in danger of being lost without a renewed commitment from
the federal government.

Sir William, who championed Aboriginal disadvantage during his time as governor-general,
said reconciliation had lost its impetus at a political level.

He also said the government needed to address both practical disadvantage, as well
as spiritual and symbolic issues.

Sir William's comments appear to contrast those of Prime Minister John Howard, who
has stressed practical reconciliation over symbolic issues.

Mr Howard has steadfastly refused to apologise to the stolen generation for past policies
of taking children from Aboriginal communities to be raised in white homes.

Sir William said since the year 2000, when hundreds of thousands of Australians took
part in walks for reconciliation, genuine efforts for reconciliation remained unfulfilled
and had lost their impetus.

"We have reached a sort of blind alley and it is no longer enough to talk about walking
onwards," Sir William said in a speech at NSW Parliament House today.

"Rather we must start to work together to actually build new pathways and bridges."

He said the national movement for reconciliation needed to be reinvigorated to harness
the grassroots support created by the first two stages of reconciliation in the lead-up
to 2000.

"The overall search for true Aboriginal reconciliation not only remains unfulfilled
- it has lost much of its impetus at the national political level where we are in real
danger of losing the goodwill built up in the first two stages."

He said it was crucial for the grassroots strength to be harnessed following the controversy
over the Redfern riots, the abolition of ATSIC and the possible outsourcing of the Aboriginal
legal services.

Sir William said the controversies highlighted the fact it was a critical time in the
battle against indigenous disadvantage.

He said while efforts to reduce disadvantage helped reconciliation, symbolic and spiritual
reconciliation were also crucial.

"There has in recent times been a tendency to describe policies and programs which
help fight Aboriginal disadvantage, particularly at the community level, as 'practical
reconciliation'," he said.

"That description is justifiable in the sense that anything that reduces Aboriginal
disadvantage is conducive to reconciliation.

"But it is not justifiable if it is used to suggest that effective Aboriginal representation,
leadership and participation at all levels are not essential for the success of programs
addressing Aboriginal disadvantage.

"Or to suggest either that Aboriginal reconciliation does not have a critically important
spiritual or symbolic aspect or that the search for national reconciliation in both its
material and spiritual aspects is unnecessary."

AAP jg/pw/de

KEYWORD: RECONCILIATION

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