Timely discussion on indigenous history

CAIRNS business My Pathway held a lively public discussion centred on recognising Northern Australia and Indigenous histories and the importance of achieving Makarrata as part of National Reconciliation Week (NRW).

Historian and author Professor Henry Reynolds attracted a crowd of more than 200 to his presentation at the Pullman Cairns International.

“There were two real problems with Australian history when I started teaching in the 1950s,” he said. “The first was there was nothing about North Queensland the other was there was no mention of the First Nations.

“In the last 50 years, both history and law have changed dramatically, and much of this change was generated by the people and the land rights events in North Queensland.”

My Pathway associate director Kenny Bedford said the NRW event provided a platform to continue important public conversations.

“NRW has provided an opportunity to keep up the momentum behind the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a message that has been ultimately rejected by the government,” Mr Bedford said.

“We welcomed more than 200 Cairns students, professionals and community members from diverse backgrounds who actively participated in the discussion.

“This was clearly a conversation that was embraced by the community.”