I'm calling a corroboree of all the natives of New South Wales
to send a petition to the King in an endeavour to improve our
condition
Why has it taken the white Australians just on 200 years to
recognise us as a race of people?
The time has come when Australia can no longer tolerate legal
racial discrimination against its Indigenous people.
It's a matter of democratic right.
In celebrating the success of the 1967 referendum, when brave men
and women who believe they should work to help the First
Australians take their rightful place in the community,
much was done to break their spirits.
But single-mindedly and
with the drain of commitment weighing heavily upon them, set
their eyes on the goal ahead.
Those men and women, true democrats and free thinkers,
convinced a nation of voters, who by tradition voted 'no' in
referendums, not only to vote 'yes', but to make sure the
referendum was carried.
They're the ones that cause the trouble in this town.
Run them out and they'll be quiet.
Pull them out of town.
It was very frightening.
I mean, I got belted with eggs and sand and punched and pushed
and shoved.
But what happened was we really just took the young Aboriginal
girls and boys into the swimming pool where they were not allowed
to go in after a certain time.
We further declare that reconciliation and the renewal of
the nation can be achieved only through a people's movement.
We act today, because tomorrow it may be too late.
It is up to each one of us to
commit to finding the lighted
path of lasting reconciliation.
In 2000, a quarter of a million people walked across the Harbour
Bridge in the spirit of reconciliation.
And I beg you to listen.
Listen to those whispers in your heart.
Let them bellow out for a better future.
A future that's steeped in the spirit of reconciliation.