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Canberra marks second ever Reconciliation Day public holiday, but is it achieving its purpose?

The sculpture Fire and Water stands in front of the National Library of Australia
Reconciliation Place in Canberra encourages people to come face to face with a difficult past.(ABC Canberra: Michael Black)

Last year, the ACT became the first state or territory to mark National Reconciliation Day with a public holiday.

The Government said the purpose behind the day was to create "a time for all Canberrans to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia."

But two years into the holiday, has that been achieved?

Young people pose for a photo, holding a banner that reads "respect and stand together, National Sorry Day."
Young people in Canberra marched for National Sorry Day.(ABC News: Kate Midena)

Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Arts and Design at the University of Canberra Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng said she welcomed the discussion created by the day.

"I've never really been supportive of the policy of reconciliation, knowing how it started, but it's become a very community-based thing now so I can see the good it has done," Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng said.

"But it's also about raising awareness.

"We've got this dark underbelly of poverty and homelessness and elder abuse and other things that do need to be addressed. We should not be having deaths in custody. There's a lot of mental health issues. Those things need to be addressed in the mainstream."

Chaydin Reid
Teacher Chaydin Reid sees value in Reconciliation Day for his students.

Chaydin Reid is a high school teacher, and saw Reconciliation Day as the perfect opportunity to teach his students about "the true history of Australia".

He said this was important so that "history is not repeated".

"A lot of my students do see purpose in Reconciliation Day, and they see purpose in the whole week," Mr Reid said.

"My dad is part of the Stolen Generation. A lot of people who go through those traumatising experiences turn to drugs and alcohol to hide that hurt. But if you connect to community and you connect to culture, that can change a person's life.

"Reconciliation Day is a good stepping stone in that healing process, but there's still a lot more to do and a lot further to go for us to get to where we want to be."

A chance for reflection

Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Rachel Stephen-Smith said Reconciliation Day was "more than symbolic".

"It's not until we understand the impact of intergenerational trauma and the impact of institutional racism, that we're really going to make a real difference in addressing the intergenerational trauma that our community is experiencing."

Rachel Stephen-Smith smiles, wearing an Indigenous scarf, a crowd of gatherers behind her.
Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs Rachel Stephen-Smith at a Reconciliation Day event.(ABC News: Kate Midena)

Alongside activities organised on Reconciliation Day to foster community and understanding, Ms Stephen-Smith cited several projects the ACT Government had been working on as examples of how this intergenerational trauma was being addressed.

"The ACT Government has been working very hard with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community through the new Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tenure agreement signed in February this year, and through being the first jurisdiction to sign up to a new process for Closing the Gap nationally," she said.

"Locally, we have a fully self-determined Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-controlled review into the overrepresentation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the child protection system and their experiences. That review has already delivered three sets of recommendations.

"We're not going to fix those things in one year, but we are absolutely committed to working with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community."

Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng smiles into the camera, standing near a hedge.
Dr Tjanara Goreng Goreng said Reconciliation Day was about raising awareness.(ABC News: Kate Midena)

Ms Stephen-Smith said Canberrans could be "really proud" to be the only jurisdiction with a public holiday to mark Reconciliation Day.

"I think the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community would welcome the rest of the country following suit," she said.

Ms Goreng Goreng agreed, and said that, despite there being a lot more work to do particularly in the areas of intergenerational trauma and recognising sovereignty, the ACT Government was "progressive" in many ways.

"There are a lot of holidays now for Aboriginal things which is great, it's a huge difference from my childhood where my mother couldn't even vote. So you've got to see the positive value that something like this [day] brings," she said.

"If the rest of Australia wants to do the same, let them."


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