Statement from ACTU National Campaign Coordinator Kara Keys:
The ‘Statement from the heart’ released by the Uluru Constitutional Convention yesterday sets out a simple but powerful objective – to better express pre-existing and ongoing Aboriginal and Torres Strait ownership of this country and in doing so address the ‘torment of [Indigenous] powerlessness’.
The Australian trade union movement is proud to have a long history of partnering with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the struggle for civil rights, industrial rights and social justice.
The ACTU calls on all sides of politics to work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities to bring about deep community engagement and substantive reform.
Trade unions understand that there can be no true progress if one section of our society moves forward while others fall behind.
We warmly embrace and respect the hard work and dedication from community representatives that has gone into producing such a powerful and strong statement.
The ACTU are committed to ensuring Union members are engaged in this ongoing national conversation and will use any means at our disposal to advance reform and campaign for the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people both in the workplace and outside it.
ENDS
