We acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as First Nations, Traditional Custodians of Australia’s lands and waterways.
We also acknowledge the dispossession of First Nations people from their lands, the dispersal and relocation of communities, the erosion of traditional customs and languages, and the removal of children from their families, that has resulted in the disconnection of generations of families from their traditional homelands, languages, and culture.
We pay our respect to Elders of the past, those of the present and those of the future for they hold the stories, culture, and traditions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The past is the birthplace of our stories.
The present is where our voice is heard.
The future is where our legacy is realised.
We are Koori people, we are Murri people, we are Noongar, Yolngu, and Kaurna people,
We are connected to the living spirit of the people, land, waterways, and sky.
We come together to celebrate our country, the sacred land we live on today, its traditional people – the oldest continuing culture on earth, and we respect our individual, and our shared history.
We pay our respects to Elders of the past who have laid the foundations for survival and prosperity,
Those of the present who stand tall against adversity, And those of the future, for they hold the stories, culture, and traditions of all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.