A National Act of Recognition

Rev Lindsay McDowell (Chairman, Southern Cross Ministries Australia) had a vision of sailing a tall ship into Botany Bay and re-enacting Captain Cook’s arrival at Botany Bay and, with the support of the indigenous community, ‘getting it right this time’. He plans a National Act of Recognition, which would:

• Re-enact the arrival of Cook in this land.
• Recognise the place of indigenous people in this land.
• Seek their permission for the first migrants to stay.
• People representing the English and other immigrants would honour and respect indigenous Australians as a people who were living in their own homes.
• They would repent for their predecessor’s wrongs against the indigenous people of the land.
• They would pledge their commitment to cooperate with the indigenous people in our shared use of the land and of the skills and values of all people living in this land.