Uni ready for reconciliation

A CENTRE aimed at addressing Australia’s often fractured relationships with its Indigenous peoples has been established by Federation University academics following a launch in Ballarat.

Called the National Centre for Reconciliation, Truth, and Justice, the initiative has been formed by Fed Uni researchers located at campuses throughout the country.

The centre is being led by Fed Uni’s associate deputy-vice-chancellor for reconciliation Professor Andrew Gunstone, who said it will encompass a broad approach involving education, businesses communities.

“This is a unique opportunity to engage at that national level but really particularly we’ll also be doing a bunch of work in regional education, research and outreach,” he said.

“For example, with the Voice to Parliament referendum we’ll have a range of dialogues at all our regional campuses.

“In engaging across the university, we’ll be working with other university leaders to see how Indigenous employers can look at our curriculum and how Indigenous students can engage in the program.

“This won’t be a standard research centre. We’ll have a really comprehensive sense of engagement across the nation.”

Fed Uni professors Bindi Bennet, Emma Lee, and Dennis Foley are also attached to the centre and all have backgrounds in Indigenous studies.

The centre is filled out by a team of 13 researchers.

A launch for the centre took place last week at Fed Uni’s SMB campus and included a panel presentation which included Aboriginal advocates Western Australia Federal Senator Pat Dodson, and Dr Jackie Higgins.

Professor Gunstone led the talk and said it was a great way to kickstart the centre.

“It was an honour to talk to them both about their experiences with reconciliation in general but also about what their work entails and what’ll be coming in the upcoming referendum,” he said.

“Between them, they both have decades of experience in national reconciliation and Indigenous leadership so that was a real honour for them to present.

“We had about 130, 140 people attend. Dr Huggins also sits on our advisory board.”

Projects expected to be delivered out of the centre include updating Federation University’s Reconciliation Action Plan as well as endorsing the Uluru Statement from the Heart.