ETHNIC COMMUNITIES SUPPORT AUSTRALIA’S FIRST PEOPLES

The peak national ethnic communities organisation has signed on in support of Congress and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Congress Co-Chair Jody Broun announced the first Congress Supporters Accord with the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia (FECCA) at the annual policy meeting of Congress Delegates in Alice Springs.

“The Supporters Accord is a signed agreement between the two organisations and Congress values FECCA’s support and looks forward to a strong relationship in achieving social justice and equity for our members,” said Ms Broun.

“For Congress it strengthens our relationship with FECCA and their communities; FECCA’s support of Congress endorses the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

“The key to the success of any referendum on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples is building a broad coalition of support across the nation,” she said.

Congress Co-Chair Les Malezer said, “The work of the two organisations on the National Anti-Racism Strategy opened the door for Congress and FECCA to work together to promote the Declaration and Constitutional Recognition, both with our own members and the broader community.

“We know there is a lot of support for Congress from outside the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and other organisations have expressed interest in seeking to join FECCA’s lead in supporting Australia’s First Peoples.

“The Supporters Accord harnesses that goodwill and enables signatories to look at how they give practical realisation of that support within their organisations,” he said.