Too often the issues faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are acknowledged with words, but aren't followed by concerted action.

For true justice and equality, we need to recognise the legacy of colonisation and the violent dispossession of land and culture that went with it.

We must acknowledge that its impacts are ongoing and felt by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders to this day.

Those who are part of the Reconciliation movement have persevered for months, years, decades and even centuries building crucial awareness and knowledge about the unfinished business of Reconciliation.

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The last few years, we have seen a swell of support for Black Lives Matter.

We have seen people speak out, declaring their commitment to truth-telling and acting and speaking courageously together about issues that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

All of us must commit to truth-telling and speaking up about issues of inequality, systemic racism and instances where the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are ignored, denied and reduced.

We should all seek to ask questions, listen and learn from the people and communities we live and work in.

We must speak out to address the injustices experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, like the deaths of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in custody, and their unacceptably high rates of incarceration.

We should be working to make sure we don't have a second Stolen Generation.

There are more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in out of home care than there were at the time of Kevin Rudd's apology.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are far more likely to be taken from their families then their non-Indigenous counterparts.

We should also stand with Traditional Owners against the destruction of their sacred sites.

When it comes to homelessness and housing, we know from research and our work at Mission Australia that overcrowding and homelessness continues to be major issues disproportionately affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

COVID-19 also brought to the fore many of the inequities too often disregarded in terms of health and housing for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

We must take this awareness and understanding and use it as the foundation for more substantive action.

Everyone must play their role to enact solutions and efforts to end discrimination and racism against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Do not stand idle. Speak up and speak out when racism and discrimination occur.

At Mission Australia, we call for governments at all levels to create conditions to increase the supply of housing and homelessness services designed to benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

These should be co-designed and implemented with community members, elders and Aboriginal community controlled organisations so they are culturally adapted and appropriate.

We must also continue to advocate and stand alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people so that they are central to the co-design and co-implementation of the services tailored to their needs, and so they have greater say in the policies that affect them.

Reconciliation cannot be 'done' by a select few.

Individually and collectively, we must turn words into action and strive to take more impactful actions toward Reconciliation.

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