The Commonwealth Games highlight that we Australians can be very proud of the many great achievements that we as a nation have accomplished over the last 200 or so years. Alas, we do not yet have the right to claim that we are a great nation.

While our indigenous hosts languish in the legacy of our making, we fail the basic test of a humane, civil and compassionate society. It is not good enough to pass our obligations to successive governments who struggle to allocate funds to those that will keep them in power. It is we, the people of Australia, who should demand that the atrocities and disgraces of our heritage be rectified – not that genocide and other atrocities can ever be truly rectified.

The spirit that Governor Landy displayed many years ago and Simpson in combat before him – of helping others at the cost of personal sacrifice – is the characteristic that may mark us as having the potential to greatness that many of us believe we are capable.

We, the migrating many have taken from our indigenous hosts that which they nurtured, respected and cared for, for thousands of years. They, who are the original custodians of this magnificent land, received little in return apart from genocide, alienation, separation from family, disease, poverty, disadvantage and a dearth of hope.

Let us, the newer people of Australia, commit to rectify this scandalous situation as we move toward a Republic. Let the coming Republic represent an acknowledgement of our past – both good and bad, and let it be the milestone from which we as a nation commit to a new and “Great” set of values.

Values that state that none among us will be disadvantaged by virtue of his colour, religion, culture, ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, educational ability or lack of advantage. Values that recognise that each and every citizen of this fine country has the right to enjoy that which the majority take for granted: access to health services, suitable housing, access to education, and access to equal opportunity to enjoy the fruits of our land, our economy and our society.
Values that state that none of us are great when any of us are avoidably ill, impoverished, alienated, disadvantaged or helpless.

Let us, before we become a Republic, achieve that which will mark us as a great nation and enable us to say that the New Australian Republic is not about divorcing ourselves from our heritage, but about awakening to the past wrongs that were committed and which the Republic is determined to rectify.

Let every individual, family, suburb, shire and city commit to participate to rectify the plight of our honourable indigenous hosts. Let us together tackle these four areas of inadequacy that Australia’s indigenous hosts have been forced to suffer for over two centuries. Let us organise to achieve this. Let us commit to achieve this. Let us at least try to achieve this.
Let us challenge ourselves to exhibit the values exemplified by such noble examples set by Simpson and his donkey, and more recently by Landy.

Let us dare to try. Let us dare to be great.