Anglican Communion News Service

"We must never lose sight of the fact that until 200 years ago all of Tasmania was under the custody of Aboriginal people," the Roman Catholic Archbishop and the Anglican Bishop of Tasmania said in a joint statement on the Aboriginal Land Amendment Bill. This legislation was debated in the Tasmanian State Parliament recently.

The Most Revd Adrian Doyle and the Rt Revd John Harrower have called on the Legislative Council to support transfers of land belonging to the Crown to the Aboriginal Community in northern Tasmania. The church leaders said that the transfer of more land to the descendants of its original custodians would be a sign that Tasmanian people are truly committed to reconciliation.

The Bishops welcomed the fact that the State Government had indicated its intention to implement most of the recommendations from a report by the Legislative Council Select Committee, but expressed their concern that the Upper House committee had rejected the transfer of lands, as it did not see this as helping the process of reconciliation.

"The Aboriginal community has made it clear that land is central to any discussion about reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people," the Bishops said in their statement. "Unless we are prepared to give back more land our talk of reconciling with Aboriginal people may have a hollow ring to it."

Item from: North Coast Anglicans