CEO Update from Mental Health Australia: Be a Voice for Generations

Be a Voice for Generations

Reconciliation Week is a significant time in Australia’s calendar, where people come together to reflect on the shared histories, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year’s theme, “Be a Voice for Generations”, asks us to find ways we can all stand up for reconciliation in our everyday lives. The effect of doing so will reverberate into the future.

“Be a Voice for Generations” involves also supporting what Reconciliation Australia calls “the next steps in Australia’s reconciliation journey” – voting “yes” to support the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament, creating a treaty, and truth-telling.

This year, Reconciliation Week takes on another level of resonance as it coincides with the news of Wiradjuri man and esteemed journalist Stan Grant stepping back from his role at the ABC. Grant has been a prominent figure in Australia’s media landscape. He has consistently shed light on the challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, sparking important conversations about reconciliation. He has also been at the receiving end of ugly, racist comments, particularly following his commentary on the Coronation.

On his last appearance on Q&A, Grant offered a reflection on the reason behind his break. It was not the vitriol. It was the building culture of divisiveness and derision that he saw in the popular media. Grant pointed out that this division is burdensome, and gets us away from our best selves. “We in the media must ask if we are truly honouring a world worth living in. Too often, we are the poison in the bloodstream of our society. I fear the media does not have the love or the language to speak to the gentle spirits of our land.”

The mental health toll of this poison is clear. We saw it in Stan Grant’s face when he said, “Sometimes our souls are hurting, and so it is for me.” And in a context of intergenerational trauma resulting from colonisation, dispossession, and cultural erasure, there persist significant mental health challenges for those who see the attacks on Grant and feel, once again, a lack of belonging.

It is an important reminder that regardless of your opinion on a matter like the Voice, we must strive to stay respectful. As with the 2017 marriage equality plebiscite, we have concerns that discussion of the Voice may lead to increased discrimination, harassment, hate speech, and violence towards already marginalised people. The Australian Government’s allocation of $10.5M to support the mental health of First Nations people in the lead up to, during, and following the referendum is welcome. However prevention is better. We recommend viewing the Yes Guide for more information about hosting safe conversations about the Voice.

Reconciliation, by acknowledging past wrongs and working towards healing, can restore that sense of belonging for First Nations peoples. A sense of belonging should be a birthright, for peoples who have a continuous, 60,000 year connection to this continent. By being a voice for generations, as Reconciliation Australia asks of us, we can work towards a new culture of care and healing.

Harry Lovelock
Acting CEO, Mental Health Australia

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