Second Annual Lecture
Reconciliation: Two Centuries On, Is Dialogue Enough?
Patrick Dodson at the Second Annual Lecture.
A packed Moreland City Hall.
Patrick Dodson
Chairman of the Lingiari Foundation
Former Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (1991-1997)
Patrick Dodson is widely-respected for his advocacy of Indigenous rights and culture throughout Australia. He is the former Chairman of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation, and currently works as a consultant, advising government, industry and community groups.
The lecture was delivered just months after the then Federal Government announced a controversial military intervention in remote Indigenous communities. Patrick Dodson labelled the Howard Government's Indigenous policy as an example of wedge politics – the 'use of racism to extract support from sections of the community.' He labelled the Government's relationship with Indigenous Australia as 'assimilationist', which was detrimental to Indigenous welfare and culture.
Dodson called upon the Australian Government and public to develop a new national policy framework based on partnership between the indigenous and non-indigenous population. Dodson outlined a blueprint for such partnership which would help Australia advance on issues relating to the native title agreement negotiation process, Indigenous governance, and community mediation and development at the local level.
The lecture included a response by The Right Reverend Dr Philip Freier, who has spent many years teaching in Indigenous communities and as an advisory teacher in Aboriginal education with the Queensland Education Department.
The Centre for Dialogue has converted this speech into a Working Paper that can now be purchased via our online payment system.