AUSTRALIAN CATHOLIC BISHOPS CONFERENCE
MEDIA RELEASE July 12, 2024
National unity needed to address First Nations challenges
Chair of the Bishops Commission for Relations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, Bishop Charles Gauci, has called for all Australians to unite in addressing the critical issues faced by the First Nations people.
Bishop Gauci highlighted the enduring and significant presence of First Nations communities in Australia, who have lived on this land for untold thousands of years.
The Bishop of Darwin emphasised the numerous challenges these communities continue to face, including disparities in life expectancy, high incarceration rates and pervasive violence.
Bishop Gauci underscored the complexity of the situation, acknowledging that there are no quick fixes and that any solutions must be rooted in the dignity of each human person, with profound respect for ancient cultures and the voices of the people affected.
Bishop Gauci proposed a unified, respectful, and experience-based approach to finding solutions, akin to the national unity seen during times of crisis.