Celebrate Reconciliation Week - Respect, Rights & Recognition.

CPSU celebrates the contribution of our Indigenous Members throughout Victoria during this years Reconciliation Week and encourages all members, Indigenous and Non-Indigenous, to participate in the process of Reconciliation.

Reconciliation Week – 27th May - 3rd June.

National Reconciliation Week begins today, 27th May 2008, on the anniversary of the 1967 referendum in which over 90% of Australians voted to remove clauses from the Australian constitution which discriminated against our Indigenous people. 

National Reconciliation Week then ends with 'Mabo Day' on 3rd June 2008, which commemorates the landmark 1992 High Court legal case that refuted the notion of 'Terra Nullius' (that Australia was 'uninhabited' before European settlement).

Show your support for Indigenous Australians and find out what you can do to help meet the challenges of reconciliation.  Sorry is a first step and our Indigenous members now need respect, rights, and recognition.

Checkout the full calendar of Reconciliation Week Events at Reconciliation Victoria’s website at www.reconciliationvic.org.au to get yourself involved in your local area and particularly note our CPSU members’ involvement at these events below;

 - Tues May 27th - Let’s Shake at National Gallery Victoria – public participation, plaster casts of participants shaking hands for R’08.
 - Thurs May 29th - Remembrance Service for Aboriginal service men and women at 11am - Shrine of Remembrance.  RSVP 9208 3262.
 - Sunday 1 June -Groove 4 Reconciliation – Geelong One Fire Reconciliation Group Music family oriented music gig, Maza Sisters & Ross Hannaford. 2pm Geelong Performing Arts Centre, 50 Malop Street.
 - EXHIBITIONS - Connecting to Country – 5 Melbourne based Koorie Artists, Annette Sax, Mandi Barton-Travis, Paola Morabito-Tang, Lee-Anne Clarke and Andrew Travis-Clarke, at Bunjilaka, Melbourne Museum.
 - Aboriginal Heritage Walks @ Royal Botanical Gardens bookings 9252 2429.

RECONCILIATION NETWORK

Something we can all do is join CPSU's Reconciliation Network!

CPSU believes unions and our members have an important role to play in the process of Reconciliation so our union is establishing a Reconciliation Network.  

The network is for all CPSU members, Indigenous and Non-Indigenous, who wish to work together to help achieve Reconciliation and social justice.  

To show your support just click on the ‘Reconciliation Network' button on our website www.cpsuvic.org .

IMPORTANT DATES THIS WEEK: Mon 26th May - NATIONAL SORRY DAY acknowledges the impact of the policies of forcible removal on Australia’s Indigenous populations.  The date commemorates the tabling of the Bringing them Home Report in 1997 - following the National Apology by the Prime Minister to the Stolen Generations on Feb 13 this year in an address to Federal Parliament.

STEPHEN WALSH
CPSU Indigenous Convenor

KAREN BATT
CPSU State Secretary

27 May 2008