In the nascent stages of my political staffing career, I found myself as a young staffer regularly observing the theatrical drama that was question time in Parliament. However, a particular night in May 2013, during National Reconciliation Week, proved to be a much more poignant experience than the usual parliamentary proceedings.
As the Parliament was finishing up for the night, and ending with recognition for National Reconciliation Week, John Williams, an experienced Nationals Member of Parliament, stood up to address the Chamber. It was a surprising moment - John, an older MP, began to deliver a speech that was emotionally charged and filled with frustration and sorrow. His bold words held the Chamber captive as he made the unexpected assertion that our present situation was worse than it had been three decades ago.
Perhaps the most touching moment unfolded when, while expressing the shame he believed Parliament should bear, John was brought to tears. Witnessing his visible distress, Linda Burney, then a State Member of Parliament from the opposition, crossed the divide of the Chamber to offer him comfort. It was a powerful testament to the unity that transcends political lines when faced with pressing and deeply human issues.
John Williams, in his speech, passionately articulated his frustration and the urgent need for change:
"I still feel a great degree of frustration at what we have not done; I see examples every day of our failure to have true recognition and reconciliation. I see Aboriginal children in Wilcannia face a very grim future through lack of education and lack of guidance in their lives, and a lack of recognition that they are a very important part of our community
His poignant observation about the deteriorating conditions in Wilcannia was a stark reminder of the circumstances:
"I have visited Wilcannia over many, many years and I can only say that we have gone backwards; we are doing worse today than we were probably 30 years ago. That is a real shame—it is a shame on us in this Parliament that we have not done more for these people. There are young people missing out on life. They are going to live and die, never having understood what life is really about."
John's speech served as a powerful wake-up call and left an indelible mark on my understanding of the complexity and gravity of the issues we were entrusted to address as part of our political responsibilities.
Full speech: