People Die Because They Find Living Too

The Great Task Of Statesmanship Is To Apply Past Lessons To New Situations, To Draw Correct Analogies To Understand And Act Upon Present Forces, To Recognise The Need For Change.

Yet There Are Thousands Of Indigenous People Searching For Family Members.

There Are No Quick Fixes To Indigenous Poverty And Social Disaster.

Most Asylum Seekers Do Get Permanent Visas, So The Earlier They Receive The Appropriate Help, The Faster They Will Become Part Of The Community. They'll Get Jobs And Start Paying Taxes Too. They Will See Australia As A Nation With A Sense Of Care And Concern. That's So Important For A Cohesive Society. It Helps Build A Sense Of Belonging. And In Terms Of Common Decency, It's What Should Be Happening... For God's Sake, This Is Australia, People Should Be Treated With Decency And Humanity.

Sorry Day Falls On The Eve Of Reconciliation Week, Giving Us The Chance To Ask Whether We Are Making Progress In The Wider Challenge Of Reconciling Indigenous And Other Australians.