However, the referendum loss revealed historical and constitutional knowledge gaps. New research by Professor Heidi Norman and Dr Anne Maree Payne underscores that truth-telling is more vital than ever for recognition and reconciliation.
While many First Nations people participate in truth-telling daily, their research, “Coming to Terms with the Past? Identifying Barriers and Enablers to Truth-Telling and Strategies to Promote Historical Acceptance,” shows that non-Indigenous Australians are still unclear as to what their actual role is in the activity.
In contrast to 43% of First Nations respondents, 6% of non-Indigenous respondents in the 2022 Australian Reconciliation Barometer participated in a community truth-telling event. The visible gap suggests that non-Indigenous Australians are not as involved or informed as those advocating for truth-telling.
Truth-telling involves recognising or participating in a more comprehensive narrative of Australia’s history and its ongoing influence on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Professor Norman and Dr Payne’s research identified three primary forms of truth-telling: justice, reconciliation and healing, and interrogating historical understanding. They emphasise that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities must be at the forefront of effective, persistent truth-telling designed to effect lasting transformation.
Truth-telling provides countless benefits. As a result, First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians can better understand one another’s histories, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are able to achieve healing through it. However, First Nations people often face trauma and the need for cultural safety in truth-telling. Non-Indigenous Australians, meanwhile, express uncertainty about how to participate despite high awareness of history and truth-telling.
Truth-telling is not a universal solution. Historian Mark McKenna noted, “Telling the truth is one thing, hearing the truth and taking it in is something else entirely.” For meaningful participation, truth-telling must address systemic disadvantages, provide clear protocols, and build capacity among participants. Ultimately, the goal is to maintain hope for a better future and foster genuine reconciliation between First Nations and non-Indigenous Australians.
Read also: How did the media perform on the Voice referendum? Let’s talk about truth-telling and impartiality
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