Statement of Voice, Treaty and Truth

Access Health and Community acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung and Bunurong peoples where we work. We pay our respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to other First Nations peoples. We acknowledge that sovereignty of this land was never ceded. 

Access Health and Community supports the Uluru Statement from the Heart and the call for Voice, Treaty, Truth. The Uluru Statement from the Heart is a call from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to establish a First Nations Voice to Parliament, Treaty agreements and Truth.

Access Health and Community believe the Uluru Statement is aligned with our purpose of Building Healthier Lives Together and our values of Equity, Collaboration and Respect.

Access Health and Community commits to listening to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, our people, clients and partners about how we can further support substantive acts of reconciliation.

Our Reflect Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) commits to understanding the impact of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and exploring AccessHC’s historical role in these injustices.

Truth-telling is a formal, ongoing process of openly sharing historical truths after periods of conflict to allow societies to move forward in a more inclusive way, based on justice and human rights.

We support truth-telling as a way to recognise and understand the wrongs of the past and how these wrongs continue to impact people today, especially in the barriers to accessing health care. 

Treaty is a process of negotiating an agreement between Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owners and non-Indigenous communities relating to matters in their own local areas. 

AccessHC supports the establishment of treaties, for example, that have the potential of improving our partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, community-controlled organisations. The creation of treaties will advance the health status of First Peoples and will protect shared interests, such as sacred sites and gathering places. 

Supporting our State of Victoria leading the way in the call for Voice, Treaty and Truth will not only improve health and wellbeing of the Victorian Aboriginal community, but will also help us play a key role in establishing respectful and equal partnerships that promote healing for all our communities.