Just a very quick thank you for being invited to speak with you today. Today is a day that we acknowledge 60,000 years of continuous culture. The oldest living cultures in the world - right here in Australia.

And, we acknowledge 60,000 years of culture being past down from generation to generation. We also acknowledge survival, and that takes many forms and Redfern has been the starting place of so many of the forms of resistance in this country.

Political and organisational resistance - the first Aboriginal Housing Organisation, the first Aboriginal Medical Service, the first Aboriginal Legal Service. All of those started in this local community and have spread out throughout Australia as movements that have supported Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islander People.

It's also the launching place of so much of the political movement for resistance. The marches in the early thirties and every year since, all that time since. Ending in fantastic celebrations like Yabun here today.

So thank you for letting me speak with you. I acknowledge that this is a very difficult day for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians and I am honoured to be allowed to address you. Thanks.