Newcastle council to partner with Guraki Aboriginal Advisory Committee to host Uluru Statement from the Heart forums

Newcastle council has thrown its support behind the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which calls for a First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution through a referendum.

Council will partner with its Guraki Aboriginal Advisory Committee, Local Government NSW and From the Heart to hold public forums raising awareness and facilitating conversations, which it says "are crucial in Australia becoming a unified nation reconciled with its history".

Indigenous Labor councillor Deahnna Richardson said polling in 2020 showed 56 per cent of people supported a voice to parliament with 28 per cent undecided.

"As the closest level of government to community, councils are well placed to facilitate the conversations we need to have to build that consensus by explaining the vision articulated in the Uluru statement," she said.

However she said she didn't believe it will be "a walk in the park" after the federal government's rejection of the statement in 2017 and derision that followed.

"On a personal level I'm regularly shocked and disturbed by the casual racism I experience from people of all walks of life towards Aboriginal people," Cr Richardson said.

"My own lived experience of racism as an Aboriginal person has been incredibly hurtful and in relation to accessing healthcare especially, has been downright dangerous.

"These negative biases run deep but we can overcome. It's not going to be easy, but it has to happen and the time is now."

Guraki Aboriginal Advisory Committee chair Luke Russell agreed now was the time for Australians to come together and officially acknowledge the traditional custodians.

"A Voice to Parliament would give the Australian Government the opportunity to collectively make policies with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, rather than for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people," Mr Russell said.

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