Shire of Denmark acknowledges Uluru Statement of the Heart and votes to host community engagement program

The Shire of Denmark has publicly acknowledged the Uluru Statement from the Heart in a move supporting the establishment of a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution. The Uluru Statement of the Heart was formed after the First Nations Constitutional Convention brought more than 250 Indigenous representatives together to call for the establishment of a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution in 2017. The Uluru Statement also calls for the establishment of a Makarrata Commission which would supervise agreements between governments and First Nations people. The written statement is an invitation calling for people to join the movement towards constitutional change. At their October 18 meeting, Denmark councillors unanimously voted to display the written statement in the Shire office, Denmark Public Library and Denmark Recreation Centre. Cr Kingsley Gibson said acknowledging the statement was a step towards healing relationships. “I still remember the day I read it, I cried,” he said during the council meeting. “It was so heartfelt and touching and it’s such a spirited document. “I think it’s part of the road we need to go down to heal a lot of the hurt in this nation.” Speaking after the meeting, Shire president Ceinwen Gearon, pictured, said JUshe felt passionate about taking steps to acknowledge the Uluru Statement. “The statement is a beautiful invitation to all Australians, inviting us all to walk and work together to a better future,” she said. “As an organisation, we are just starting down our own path of building respectful relationships and reconciliation, and I feel this resolution of council is a public declaration of our commitment to playing our role in community development, education, inclusion and cohesiveness. “In our discussions with local elders and Indigenous stakeholders so far, we’re hearing that Indigenous people feel that our community is a welcoming and culturally safe space, but I hope this is just a start and that we can continue to build our community’s capacity to be an ally.” Councillors also voted to request the chief executive to offer a community engagement program in regard to the statement and its intention. “This is a really exciting time in Australia’s history,” Ms Gearon said. “I’m proud to be part of this organisation and community as we do our bit to stand alongside the First Nations people who have cared for this land long, long, long before the Shire of Denmark was in existence.”