Uluru Statement from the Heart bigger than PM claims, documents reveal
Anthony Albanese has repeatedly claimed the Uluru Statement from the Heart is a “simple” proposition on a single piece of paper — but new documents have revealed otherwise. Read the full 26-page statement here.
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Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s claims that the Uluru Statement from the Heart is a “simple” proposition that fits on an A4 piece of paper have been again called into question by revelations that a key architect of the document has previously admitted it is much larger.
In July, this newspaper revealed that as part of documents obtained under Freedom of Information from the National Indigenous Australians Agency, the Uluru Statement included a manifesto running to more than 20 pages.
Included in the document were road maps for a “Makaratta” commission that would sit above government as a treaty making umpire, as well as calls for reparations and Aboriginal sovereignty.
In parliament on Tuesday, Mr Albanese claimed that the notion that there was more to the one-page document was a “conspiracy” theory and compared it to “Qanon” and fake moon landing theories.
However it can be revealed that a key Voice architect has claimed multiple times that the Uluru Statement is a much longer document.
Delivering the 2018 Henry Parks Oration, Prof Megan Davis said, “The Uluru Statement from the Heart isn’t just the first one-page statement; it’s actually a very lengthy document of about 18 to 20 pages, and a very powerful part of this document reflects what happened in the dialogues.”
Ms Davis’ speech went on to quote from the longer document revealed by FOI requests.
Sky News host Peta Credlin also confirmed Tuesday night correspondence between the NIAA and the individual seeking the Uluru Statement document confirmed that the longer document was indeed the full Uluru Statement from the Heart.
The document also calls for the Voice to have offices “on an appropriate site within the parliamentary circle in Canberra” that would be “supported by a sufficient and guaranteed budget with access to its own secretariat, experts and lawyers.”
On Wednesday, Ms Davis issued a statement saying, “The Uluru Statement from the Heart is one page. It is 439 words. It is supported by other documents contained in the Referendum Council report that reflect and document the many regional dialogues and consultation leading up to it.”
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