I am one of 42,613 Australian Christians that are part of the Common Grace movement. We are passionate about Jesus & Justice. I will vote for a candidate who shows #CommonGrace. I am specifically concerned for justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

As Christians, we believe Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are, and always have been created in the image of the Creator. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have an ancient and important God-appointed role as custodians in these lands now called Australia. For too long this nation of Australia has not listened to, and not sought justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We are tired of waiting for a Treaty and treaties over 250 years overdue, we grieve at the lives lost due to lack of action and investment to Close the Gap, implement recommendations to stop Aboriginal Deaths in Custody, and we fight for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to be embraced as the world’s oldest living continuing cultures. How will Australia repent of its sins of Stolen Land, Stolen Wages, and Stolen Lives? How will our nation embrace the world’s oldest living continuing cultures? How will Australia wake up to the fact that for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples this is not the land of the “fair go”?

How will you support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in their long standing calls for justice?

With all of this in mind could you please specifically answer the following questions:

  1. The 2019 NAIDOC Week theme is "Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s work together for a shared future", which echoes the decades long calls of many generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. How will you work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for a shared future, and in particular, support the calls for Treaty and Treaties, and a Truth-Telling Commission?
  2. The closing the gap targets were established over 10 years ago and Australia has failed to Close the Gap. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to die to young, and too often, and face overrepresentation in the prison system. How will you ensure Australia actively works, and sufficiently funds, the responsibility, to Close the Gap?
  3. Since 1 January 2019 we have had 35 Aboriginal people suicide, this is a national emergency. What steps will you take to addressing the national emergency of Aboriginal suicide?
  4. Climate change and rising sea levels are impacting the lands and waters of Australia and having real and tangible impacts on Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities and Aboriginal peoples and communities in Northern Australia. Aboriginal communities are also being severely affected by the drying up of the Murray-Darling system. How will you protect our environment and tackle the real effects of climate change as it affects Australia’s lands and waters and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
  5. We have been waiting as a nation since 1991 for the 339 recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody to be implemented. This requires cooperation between Federal, State and Territory governments. How will you actively work towards implementing the long standing recommendations from the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody so that Aboriginal peoples stop dying in custody?

 

Wondering how to email your candidates?

Check the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) to see the list of all candidates in your electorate.

Wikipedia also has a full list of the candidates running in your electorate.

Use the AEC website to search for contact details (also search via Google and Facebook – more and more candidates use social media).