I HAVE A DREAM

I have a dream that some day we will not be divided by colour, as two separate nations, but united as one Australia.

I have a dream that one day all Australians will be treated equally and fairly without favouritism.

I have a dream that some day we can all look forward to a future of mutual respect and prosperity.

I have a dream that one day we no longer look far, far back in history to another time long ago to what other people may have done before anyone today was born.

I have a dream that one day the sins of the past will be forgiven.

I have a dream that mistakes, whether deliberate or unintentional will no longer be used to deliberately undermine and destroy the fabric of this country, for personal, opportunistic agendas.

I have a dream that our children will no longer be held accountable by opportunistic activists for what a minority of previous generations may have done to people they did not know or have never met.

I have a dream that aboriginal so-called ‘leaders’ will stop using abusive, hateful, spiteful words to describe fellow Australians, whether black or white.

I have a dream that politicians, corporations, academic institutions and sporting bodies will someday cease to involve themselves in race-baiting wedge politics.

And finally….I have a dream that one day we will have a female aboriginal Prime Minister who will be judged not by the colour of her skin, nor by her gender – but by the content of her character.

I have a dream that Jacinta Nampijinpa Price will someday be the prime leader of our nation.

I dream Prime Minister Price will close the real gaps with love and forgiveness and heal the recent wounds of divisions.

I have a dream that Prime Minister Price will show the world we are one Australia, that we are united and we appreciate all Australians. We acknowledge our aboriginal roots, we are grateful for our fair British system of governance and are proud of our migrant workers who have collectively contributed to the substance of the greatest nation on earth.

I have a dream our country will overwhelmingly say no to enshrining separatism and racism into our sacred Constitution – the founding document for fairness and equality for all.

This is my dream.

I hope that someday my dream will no longer be only a dream but a reality.

I hope you will share my dream.

Paul Zanetti

(With acknowledgement to Martin Luther King Jr)

Featured artwork by Johannes Leak