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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 1 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 152 ..

MR STANHOPE (continuing):

This unfinished business [of reconciliation] is the business of all Australians, as with every element of Australia's journey toward true reconciliation it lies in the hands of the people-and of all governments, peak bodies and community organisations which represent them and are responsible to them. It's a challenge for all of us because getting it right is vital to our future together and to our nation's sense of identity, purpose and pride.

The government agrees with that statement.

My government has a strong commitment to reconciliation and will work with the whole community on strategies to further its progress in the ACT. As a first step, I expect to launch Reconciliation ACR, the Reconciliation Council for the Australian Capital Region, in February 2002. I am advised that Reconciliation ACR has developed a new vision and charter that will guide its work into 2002 and beyond. I can assure the Assembly and the co-chairs of Reconciliation ACR that my government will offer ongoing support to maximise the success of this important and newly reinvigorated body.

Beyond important bodies like Reconciliation ACR, my government will also facilitate an informal reconciliation process by supporting reconciliation community meetings as a forum for discussion by all ACT citizens of issues relating to reconciliation and of policies to be adopted by the government to promote reconciliation. I have asked that progress be made in ensuring proper acknowledgment of the traditional Aboriginal people within the ACT through ceremonial arrangements and practical actions. If we do not acknowledge the consequences of our shared history, we will not be able to unite in a journey to the future.

Mr Speaker, I have highlighted that the government respects the right of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to self-determination; that is, the government respects the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to decide within the broad context of Australian society the priorities and the directions of their own lives and the freedom to determine their own affairs.

The government respects the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be represented in a manner they see as appropriate. We will be strengthening the involvement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in developing and implementing government programs and services through a range of consultation mechanisms, including the Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Forum, the Indigenous Education Consultative Body, and the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Consultative Council.

It is not enough, however, to persist with limited and constricted forms of consultation. The government will embark on consultation mechanisms that enable a wider canvassing of views in the community. We will consult in ways that are accessible and most appropriate to the needs of the different sectors of the community. It is no longer sufficient just to call community meetings. We must strive to find better ways of finding out what the community wants and needs. We are committed to better engagement with all parts of the community.

One of my major concerns is the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the ACT's criminal justice system. It is essential to involve the community in developing policies and programs to address this issue and, as both

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