[Greens-Media] The long road to Reconciliation

[Twomey, Chris (Sen R. Siewert)]

The long road to Reconciliation
A journey to the heart - by bicycle
While our Prime Minister continues to refuse to say 'sorry' for past
(and present) injustices and the plight of Australia's first peoples
continues to worsen, a group of extra-ordinary Australians are on the
move for Reconciliation.
The group, led by Dominican friar, Father Peter Murnane, put rubber to
the road and set out on the first leg of the 2737km journey from our
nation's capital in Canberra to its spiritual heart at Uluru.
 "In setting out on the long road to Reconciliation this group of caring
Australians are showing the path to healing for all of us" said Senator
Rachel Siewert, Australian Green's spokesperson on Indigenous Affairs.
 "I hope that this community campaign will continue to gain momentum as
you take your message of practical reconciliation down the road to our
spiritual heartland" she said.
"Australia calls itself a first world nation, yet our Indigenous people
have life expectancy rates worse than many in the third world and
struggle to access the most basic of services," Senator Siewert said.
"The life of our Indigenous families is characterized by under-privilege
and poor health, where bad living conditions and reduced opportunities
for education and employment contribute to significantly higher rates of
suicide and imprisonment," said Senator Siewert 
"In recent decades other first-world nations have improved the plight of
their first peoples while Australia can only hang its head in shame."
A core group of six riders will make the entire journey, with many
others joining them along the way - as they peddle their way though
Yass, Harden, Cootamundra, Junee, Narrandera, Hay, Balranald, Mildura,
Renmark, Burra, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Woomera and Coober Pedy before
reaching Uluru.
Joining them for the first leg of the tour was ACT Greens MP Deb Foskey,
and the Anglican and Catholic Bishops of Canberra and Goulburn.
A Green motion urging the immediate comprehensive roll-out of
non-sniffable Opal fuel throughout the Central Desert Regions of
Australia was put on notice by Senator Bob Brown last week, and the
pressure in building on both sides of the house to support this
initiative.
For more information or comment call:

Chris Twomey 0407 725 025

Email: senator.siewert at aph.gov.au

www.senator.siewert.org.au