May

26 May: National Day of Healing (National Sorry Day)

Our National Day of Healing, commonly referred to as National Sorry Day, is a significant day for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and particularly for Stolen Generations survivors.

Commemorating Sorry Day was one of the recommendations of the Bringing Them Home Report, which was tabled in Parliament on 26 May 1997. This report was the result of a national inquiry into the forcible removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, communities and cultural identity.

The first Sorry Day was held in Sydney in 1998 and is now held nationally with memorials and commemorative events that honour the Stolen Generations. It is an opportunity to reflect on the sad and painful experiences of the Stolen Generations and recognise the healing and power of saying sorry.

26 May: Anniversary of the Uluru Statement from the Heart

The Uluru Statement from the Heart was a national, First Nations peoples (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) consensus position on constitutional recognition, which came out of a constitutional convention of 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander delegates.

Held at the foot of Uluru in Central Australia on the lands of the Anangu people, the statement called for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Australia Constitution and the establishment of a Makarrata Commission to supervise agreement-making and truth-telling between governments and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The statement was the culmination of 13 regional dialogues held around the country. It came after many decades of struggle by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people for recognition and calls for a stronger voice in their affairs.

A Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition Relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples was appointed and presented its final report in November 2018 (with consideration to the recommendations from the Uluru Statement from the Heart). A copy of the final report is available on the Parliament of Australia website.

In its final report, the committee endorsed the proposal for a First Nations People’s Voice. The committee also considered that their recommendations are significant steps for the federal parliament to discuss and consider, a bipartisan approach to advancing the cause of constitutional recognition.

The committee also made recommendations in relation to truth-telling about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, traditions and culture. The committee hopes that a fuller understanding of Australia’s history will lead to a more reconciled nation.

27 May: Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum

Following decades of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal activism, over 90 per cent of all Australians voted in favour of amending two sections of the Australian Constitution. Sections of the constitution subject to the referendum were section 51 (xxvi) and section 127. According to political historian Scott Bennett, these sections were originally included in the constitution because of the widely held beliefs that:

• Aboriginal People were dying out and, hence, would soon cease to be a factor in questions of representation.
• Indigenous people were not intellectually worthy of a place in the political system.

Following the 1967 Referendum, the words "…other than the Aboriginal People in any State…" in section 51 (xxvi) and the whole of section 127 were removed, allowing for Aboriginal people to be included in the Census, and giving federal parliament the power to make laws in relation to Aboriginal people.

Prior to the referendum, making laws for Aboriginal people was the responsibility of the states. Laws varied greatly from state to state. For example, Aboriginal Australians could own property in New South Wales and South Australia but not in other states. Advocates for the referendum believed that if federal parliament was granted the power to legislate for Aboriginal people, it would act in their best interests, leading to better conditions for Aboriginal people.

27 May to 3 June: National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievement, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

The dates 27 May and 3 June commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey: the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision respectively.

In 1996, the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation launched Australia’s first National Reconciliation Week. In 2001, Reconciliation Australia was established to continue to provide national leadership on reconciliation. In the same year, approximately 300.000 people walked across Sydney harbour bridge as part of National Reconciliation Week and subsequently across bridges in cities and towns across the country to show their support for reconciliation. Today, National Reconciliation Week is celebrated nationally, in workplaces, schools and early learning services, and community organisations.

To find out more about National Reconciliation Week, visit Reconciliation Australia and Reconciliation Tasmania.