Dorinda Cox: Royal visit a painful reminder of colonial injustice

By SENATOR DORINDA COX

King Charles III touched down in Australia on Friday, a momentous occasion for some, as it marks his first tour of Australia as King.

For many First Nations people, his presence is a visual reminder of the ongoing colonial trauma and legacies of British colonialism that are faced everyday by First Peoples.

This visit will be difficult for many First Nations people, who still feel the injustice every day of colonialism, especially our stolen generations, which are perpetuated through systemic and structural racism and discrimination. Visiting memorials and attending charity events is not changing the harrowing injustices and ongoing unacceptable rates of deaths of our people in Australia.

First Nations justice, truth telling and healing needs to be a priority. The King should be clear in his recognition and support of this. He now needs to be on the right side of history. We need the Labor Government to have clear instructions from their sovereign head that we can’t continue on this path if we want peace and healing, this comes with accepting responsibility for the role, actions and destructive impacts of the Crown.”

Royal visit protesters in Canberra on Monday.

As the Queen meets with Family Violence stakeholders and victim survivors, we need to be clear on Labor’s commitment to First Nations Justice. We are still awaiting the implementation of the Missing and Murdered First Nations Women and Children’s recommendations”

I invite the King to reflect on this and that Sovereignty that was never ceded. There is trauma and grief for First Nations people. He needs to hear this and acknowledge it. The Commonwealth has nothing to fear from this formal recognition.

First Nations communities continue to feel the impact of policies rooted in colonial attitudes – such as forced removals, land and resources theft, and systemic discrimination – that has left deep scars that we need to heal from. We cannot do this without truth telling and truth listening.

We are asking for acknowledgement and respect. Respecting the contributions that Australia’s First Peoples have made, and continue to make, to culture, science, the economy, and the environment.

The time is now. It’s time to respect our inherent, sovereign right to self-determination. Including the protection and preservation of our lands and waters – under our custodianship.

Ensuring Australia’s First Peoples are consulted in every vital decision about our shared future. Honouring our unique cultures and traditions are integral elements of truth and justice. Australia remains the only Commonwealth country without a Treaty with its First Peoples.

It’s our responsibility as a nation to have a mature conversation about our past, understand our present, and create a vision for our future that involves unity.

As King Charles said today, ‘We must come together with courage, care and compassion…’ to achieve ‘…peace, justice and mutual respect’.

It is long overdue. Federal Truth telling processes must be our priority for a collective First Nations led pathway forward, together.