Hearty support
Woodside has lent its support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a declaration which provides an Indigenous consensus on Indigenous constitutional recognition.
Woodside has joined 13 other leading Australian organisations in supporting the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The announcement came during National Reconciliation Week (27 May - 3 June).
The Uluru Statement, released in June 2017, provides a national Indigenous consensus position on Indigenous constitutional recognition and was developed following extensive consultations, including 13 nation-wide First Nations Dialogues and a First Nations Constitutional Convention, in May 2017.
The statement asks for two reforms including the establishment of a Makarrata Commission to oversee truth telling and agreement making, and a First Nations Voice that is enshrined in the Constitution.
Woodside joined companies including BHP, QANTAS, and PwC Australia as well as the National Rugby League, Richmond Football Club and Curtin and Swinburne universities, and others, in developing the response to the Uluru Statement.
The response supports the call for a referendum to enable constitutional reform and encourages others to join in the national dialogue.
It concludes: “We call upon our people, industry colleagues and fellow Australians to join us in this important national dialogue.”
All participating organisations actively promote and support reconciliation and are among a small group of organisations that have an Elevate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
Woodside chief executive officer (CEO) Peter Coleman said Elevate RAP partners hold a responsibility to show national leadership and were proud to give our collective voice of support to Indigenous communities by responding to the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
“The Uluru Statement is a unique opportunity for Australia to make a change,” he said.
“We need to walk together with courage towards a reconciled Australia.”
Karen Mundine, CEO of Reconciliation Australia (the organisation behind RAPs) welcomed the collective effort.
“Our research shows that an overwhelming majority of Australians support the aspirations within the Uluru Statement from the Heart,” Karen said.
“A collective public statement from our Elevate RAP partners not only demonstrates their leadership and commitment to reconciliation, but also helps to build momentum towards genuine reconciliation.”
Read the full Q2 2019 issue of Trunkline here.
