Our Vision for a Just Australia
Read below for the 2019 Vision for a Just Australia Statement. Read the latest updated version released in 2021 here
In 2020, we published a new document, Build Back Better, highlighting new and emerging priorities and lessons learnt from the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic. It draws on our vision, as articulated below.
Our Vision:
We see a nation where each person and all creation can flourish and enjoy abundant life.
The Uniting Church in Australia believes the whole world is God’s good creation.
Each person is made in God’s image and is deeply loved by God. In Jesus, God is completing the reconciliation and renewal of the whole creation.
Our vision, grounded in the life and mission of Jesus, is for a nation which:
- is characterised by love for one another, of peace with justice, of healing and reconciliation, of welcome and inclusion.
- recognises the equality and dignity of each person.
- recognises sovereignty of First Peoples, has enshrined a First Peoples voice and is committed to truth telling about our history.
- takes seriously our responsibility to care for the whole of creation.
- is outward looking, a generous and compassionate contributor to a just world.
This is our vision and hope for a just Australia expressed in seven foundational areas.
Each foundation includes witness from the Bible, UCA statements, a snapshot of the current situation, key actions to advocate for and questions to encourage conversation or put to local candidates.
A First Peoples Heart
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, nurtured and sustained by God before colonisation, are celebrated at the very heart of what it means to be Australian.
First People’s sovereignty is affirmed, First Peoples have a voice in the decision making of our country and are living out their right to self-determination.
As First and Second Peoples, we walk together, creating socially just and culturally safe relationships, listening and learning from one another.
Renewal of the Whole of Creation
We seek the flourishing of the whole of God’s Creation and all its creatures.
We act to renew the earth from the damage done and stand in solidarity with people most impacted by human-induced climate change.
Government, churches, businesses and the wider community work together for a sustainable future.
A Welcoming, Compassionate and
Diverse Nation
We are a nation of diverse cultures, languages, faiths, ethnic groups and experiences.
We celebrate and value the strength of this diversity. We see this diversity reflected in our leaders, key decision makers, institutions, industry, sports and media.
We are a compassionate nation, where every person who seeks refuge here is treated fairly and made to feel welcome and safe – regardless of their country of origin or mode of arrival.
An Economy for Life
Our government makes economic decisions that put people first: decisions that are good for creation, that lift people out of poverty and fairly share our country’s wealth.
The economy serves the well-being and flourishing of all people.
An Inclusive and Equal Society
We live together in a society where all are equal and free to exercise our rights equally, regardless of faith, cultural background, race, age, sexual orientation and gender identity.
We defend those rights for all.
Flourishing Communities, Regional, Remote
and Urban
We live in communities where we are connected and we care for one another.
In communities all over Australia, from our big cities to remote regions, we seek the well-being of each Australian and uplift those who are on the margins.
Contributing to a Just and Peaceful World
Australia acts with courage and conviction to build a just and peaceful world.
We are a nation that works in partnership with other nations to dismantle the structural and historical causes of violence, injustice and inequality.
Our government upholds human rights everywhere, acting in the best interests of all people and the planet.
Thanks go to...
This document is a UnitingJustice project – a collaboration of those engaged in the
justice work of the Uniting Church coordinated by the Assembly Resourcing Unit.
We thank the following contributors:
UnitingCare Australia
UnitingWorld
VIC/TAS Synod
Uniting (VIC/TAS)
Synod of WA
Presbytery and Synod of SA
Uniting Communities
Queensland Synod
UnitingCare Queensland
Uniting (NSW/ACT)
See also
https://nswact.uca.org.au/social-justice/thesocial-justice-forum/
http://unitingearthweb.org.au/
In developing this document, we drew on the excellent work already done in Australia Remade by the A24 Alliance, a collection of individuals and diverse organisation with a shared commitment to put people and planet first. We also considered some of the excellent work being done in the Australian National Development Index (ANDI) Project.
Uniting Church members are encouraged to visit the websites of all the above groups to further explore the issues and questions that arise as we consider what it means to live and act justly.
What Next?
If you want to learn about, contribute to and connect with the national justice work of the Uniting Church in Australia, then you might like to join our Working for Justice Circle of Interest.