Supporting a First Nations Voice
The Assembly Standing Committee declares the support of the Uniting Church in Australia for an an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament
March 22, 2023
The Assembly Standing Committee (ASC) resolved at its recent meeting to declare the support of the Uniting Church in Australia for the proposed change in the Australian Constitution to recognise an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.
The ASC noted this decision was informed by the Uniting Church's commitment to the Covenant between the Uniting Church and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC).
Importantly, the ASC acknowledged the challenge in the upcoming Referendum to think more deeply about and reflect upon our own practices in our relationships with First Peoples as a priority of the Covenant.
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The ASC noted the UCA's longstanding advocacy on issues of importance to the First Peoples of Australia and recognised that there is a diversity of perspectives. Having heard from UAICC, and informed by the Covenant, the ASC resolved to
- declare the support of the Uniting Church in Australia for the proposed change in the Australian Constitution to recognise an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, as a step toward the invitation of the Uluru Statement to voice, truth telling, and treaty;
- noting the significance of this moment in our nation’s history and relationship with its First Peoples, to call on church, community and political leaders to engage the referendum issues, modelling respectful and constructive dialogue;
- communicate the support of the Uniting Church in Australia for the proposed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice to Parliament to parliamentary leaders
- invite the whole Uniting Church to see the referendum as a challenge to reflect further on our own practices in our relationships with First Peoples within and outside the Church in expressing the priority of the Covenant with the UAICC
As we move towards the Referendum, the Assembly will seek to resource the Church in support of the "Yes" campaign, in light of the Church's covenant commitments.
Go to our Uniting for the Voice resources page.
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