Robyn Cox

I’m not aboriginal but I have friends who are. The outright rasicm and silent apartheid I have witnessed makes me ashamed to be so called ‘Australian

What I have witnessed has shown the urgency for truth telling – starting with an un-sanitised version of history – not the white privileged version we have had for so many years. Truth telling however has become so politicized, and unfortunately, like any cultural change, the rate of change is very frustrating. One step forward and two steps back. I have also learnt that empathy is in low supply in many sectors of this privileged society. There is so much evidence of the appalling history since colonisation and yet some are able to argue against it or just walk away. So frustrating!

I would like to see our First Nations people having a voice to describe what has been known for years. The white population are who needs to change – not First Nations peoples.

The truth of our true history received by myself, and my children, has only trickled down over the years, however there is now plenty of evidence to be found and we have continued to look and learn. While what we have learnt is no way on the same level of lived experience, but it has been enough for us to want to learn more and to assist in the push for truth telling and self determination. I would love my grandchildren to live in a world where the apology is actually translated into real action. I would love for all of us to walk together to build on what we all should know by now, and to achieve the action urgently needed to ensure First Nations people have a voice to inform and lead future governments with the changes required to address racism, equitable opportunity in education, employment, housing, truth telling, and treaty.