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Anglicare WA continues to publicly commit, promote, listen, and respond to Aboriginal voices and community.  That is why, following the 2023 Australian Indigenous Voice Referendum and conversations with our Aboriginal Advisory Group, we have reframed our advocacy priority of ‘Being an Ally for Voice, Treaty and Truth’ to ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recognition and Justice’.

Our advocacy in this space centres around the four principles of truth-telling, listening, healing, and valuing and respecting culture.  In support of these principles, Anglicare WA’s Advocacy and Strategy Team recently made two federal parliamentary submissions. 

The first submission was on the Truth and Justice Commission Bill 2024, which Anglicare WA supports as a crucial step towards recognition and justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 

The Team attended a Public Hearing on 12 November, with Wonnarua woman and Anglicare WA Director, Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Engagement Leone Cottam-Williams together with Sara Kane, Government Relations Lead speaking further about the importance and necessity of a Truth and Justice Commission.

“For me, it comes back to: what is a fuller nationhood, and how do we as Australia learn about the history that happened here?” Ms Cottom-Williams said. “I have been working in the education space for a long time and people say, 'But we didn't learn about Aboriginal history.' I think: 'Did you grow up here? It is not Aboriginal history; it's history. This happened in the place where you live.' We want to be able to have a shared understanding of history that will bring people together.”

The Team’s second submission was to Our Ways – Strong Ways – Our Voices: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Family Safety Plan (Family Safety Plan).  The Family Safety Plan aims to increase the safety and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and children through a whole of society approach. 

Anglicare WA provided recommendations on how governments and mainstream services can best support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, services, and solutions to address family and domestic violence, sharing insights from our reconciliation journey, partnerships with Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations, and relationships with Aboriginal communities.

If you would like to learn more about how you can support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition and justice, please check out the work of Reconciliation WA.