Assembly '97 News Home page Documents next story		Uniting Church calls for new national day July 12, 1997 — The Eighth Assembly of the Uniting Church in Australia yesterday voiced support for a new national day and opposed the Prime Minister’s 10-point plan on Wik. Assembly members, meeting in Perth from July 5-12, are appointed from state and district councils of the church throughout Australia. Yesterday they considered final recommendations from the church’s Covenant Steering Committee and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress. Covenanting is the partnership agreement between indigenous and non-indigenous sections of the church. The Rev. John Brown, Covenanting coordinator, moved the proposal to find a date other than 26 January for a national day. "We need to develop a shared understanding of the history of this country," he said. "Australia Day is a one-sided celebration. [A new day] would provide …a day we all could celebrate gladly." The Assembly will urge the Federal Government to identify a new date with "greater power to unite than 26 January". It also called on parishes to encourage local recognition of the "dispossession and alienation" symbolised by 26 January for indigenous Australians. On Wik and native title concerns, the Assembly called on the Federal Government to "reject any proposal that will have the effect directly or indirectly of extinguishing or diminishing native title rights", to "develop a regime of coexistence in the land" and to require negotiation among the parties who have interests in the land. Sydney barrister Michael Adams said the Mabo and Wik decisions made his "heart fill with pride". "We saw truth and law come together to provide justice," he said.

"The Uniting Church affirms that it belongs to the people of GOD on the way to the promised end." Basis of Union, Revised edition published 1992