AustLit

'In May this year one group of leaders at the First Nations National Constitutional Convention made yet another heartfelt plea from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to be heard. Their statement is an attempt to influence public opinion about the nature of the problem by telling a broad audience that Aboriginal disadvantage does not have to be intractable. The Uluru statement may prove to be an influential voice in the public discourse about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues. We don’t know whether people will hear this time. We don't know whether the statement from Uluru has identified the right way to go.' (Editorial introduction)