The national assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia today endorsed the idea of a treaty between the leaders of indigenous and non-indigenous peoples of Australia.

Meeting in Adelaide July 15-22, the assembly noted that the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation this year had presented to the nation documents for reconciliation.

Assembly endorsed the Australian Declaration Towards Reconciliation and commended it to all its councils (congregations, presbyteries and synods) for study and endorsement.

Assembly also endorsed by consensus "the idea of a legislated process of negotiation between the leaders of the indigenous and non-indigenous peoples of Australia towards a formal agreement (treaty) dealing with the ‘unfinished business’ of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation’s process for reconciliation."

The Australian Declaration Towards Reconciliation acknowledges that there has been no treaty and consent has neither been sought nor granted. The church’s national director of covenanting, Peter Lewis, told the assembly that in order to approach the question of "unfinished business" it was "essential that the nation provides a non-discriminatory foundation for national identity".

He said, "A legislative process for creating a treaty is the most appropriate and just way of dealing with the discrimination of the past and the present."

Assembly is on the verge of implementing an indigenous employment program whereby at least two per cent of the staff of the assembly and its agencies are indigenous people. It also will ask each state synod to do the same.

Other reconciliation proposals awaiting consideration refer to training in church educational institutions and requests for Federal Government action, particularly with regard to the formulation of a treaty.

Assembly 2000, SA (July 20, 2000)