The Communities in Control Conference, convened by Our Community and Centacare Catholic Family Services,  met under the tag line “The Community Challenge: Building political, environmental, social, and economic pathways towards true social inclusion.”

The 1500 participants, drawn from across the Australian community sector, responded to this challenge by calling collectively for Our Community to take on a leadership role* on behalf of their communities by overseeing a statement from the Communities in Control conference.

Here is the statement, as drafted by a small group of conference participants. Please add your own comments and discussion.

Statement

This 2008 Communities in Control Conference congratulates the Australian Government for its progressive initiatives in providing an apology to Indigenous Australians and in ratifying the Kyoto treaty.

This Communities in Control Conference affirms its support for addressing the plight of Indigenous Australians, and calls upon the Australian Government to commence at once a genuine conversation with Indigenous Australians founded on the three principles of recognition, rights, and reform, designed to achieve genuine equality for all Australians.

Discussion of Themes

Help us formulate a community sector response to these issues.  What do we feel the Federal Government should do?  What part can the community sector play in these reforms?  

• An Indigenous Treaty
• A Bill of Rights for Australia
• An Australian Republic
• Constitutional Recognition of the Status of the First Australians
• A National Disability Strategy
• A National Energy Policy (energy efficiency, renewable targets, sustainability)
• Social Equity and Equitable Development
• Community Inclusion

What other topics do we need to seek a sector consensus on?

*What do we call this leadership initiative? It was originally proposed that it be called the Community Activism Response Enterprise, or CARE; this name, however, is already taken.  What would you call it?