COOK SHIRE ACCEPTS INVITATION OF THE ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART

Cook Shire Council passed a historic resolution at yesterday’s February Council Meeting, formally accepting the invitation of the Uluru Statement from the Heart and announcing its unanimous support for Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Peoples of Australia, and for the establishment of an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

“This historic decision demonstrates our commitment to Reconciliation and recognises the important role of Indigenous voices in shaping our nation's future,” said Cook Shire Mayor, Peter Scott. 

Cook Shire’s Indigenous Partnerships Officer, Shane Gibson congratulated Council on the decision: “The Uluru Statement is a powerful expression of the aspirations of Indigenous Australians. Accepting the Statement really is like drawing a line in the sand in terms of committing to a new way of working together as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.”

Pictured above: Council's Indigenous Partnerships Officer, Shane Gibson with Mayor Peter Scott, discussing Council's historic and unanimous decision to accept The Uluru Statement from the Heart.

“It really is a message of support to Indigenous community members across our Shire and in the neighbouring Aboriginal Shires, that we are committed to working towards a more just and equitable society,” said Mayor Scott, noting that Council is anticipated to endorse its first Reconciliation Action Plan at the March Ordinary Council meeting.

“Accepting the Uluru Statement is an important milestone into our journey towards Reconciliation. We hope that other councils and organisations will follow our lead and support the call for constitutional recognition and a more inclusive and representative political system.

“We look forward to working alongside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community to turn these aspirations into reality and build a brighter future for all Australians.”

For more information contact Council's Media and Communications Coordinator, via email to mail@cook.qld.gov.au or by phoning 4082 0500.