A National Act of RecognitionWith the First Peoples of Australia At Kamay Botany Bay 

Truth Telling – the Recognition Way

Creating a platform for the voice of First Nations People to be heard

Creating a platform for the voice of all Australians of goodwill who are committed to truth, justice and healing

4 October 2022

Dear Sisters and brothers,

This email follows the Recognition News circulated on 16 August 2022.  You may wish to refer to the information that newsletter contains.  It gave preliminary notice of dates we set for holding A National Act of Recognition at Kamay Botany Bay.

This fundraising email is specifically about the Recognition Team Gathering set for Saturday 29 October 2022 (yes – this year) near the Lieutenant James Cook landing site at Kurnell, Kamay Botany Bay.

The purpose of a Team Gathering this year will, among other things, be a preparation day. We aim to make sure that all who attend and participate in the major public gathering in October 2023 will be pleased to find themselves taking part in a Recognition Program that is well thought out and effective.

We include below FYI a shortened version of the Program we will follow during the Team Gathering this October.  We will develop and fine tune this Program for the benefit of the Australian people when everyone in this nation is invited to gather in October 2023:

A National Act of Recognition

Truth Telling – the Recognition Way

Our Recognition Objectives – in the Short Term

A Draft Program for Kamay Botany Bay

Saturday 29 October 2022 from 10.00am to 4.00pm

1. Introduction – Opening of this Historic Solemn Assembly of the Nation – the Australian people                       

2. Welcome to Country                                                                                                                                                                               

3. Overview of our colonising history – as described in the British records                                                                          

4. The impact of colonisation on the wronged parties – the Voice of the First Peoples must be heard here          

5.  Response from wider Australian community: “We have heard you”

6. Wrongdoing 1: April 1770 four (4) criminal offences were unleashed on First Peoples at Kamay Botany Bay

Input by wronged parties – the Voice of the First Peoples must be heard here                                                    

Input by wider Australian community – “These actions unacceptable to us.  Not done in our name”        

7. Wrongdoing 2: Taking possession of many Sovereign Lands – without consent – as described in E. Journal 

Input by wronged parties – the Voice of the First Peoples must be heard here                                                    

Input by wider Australian community – “These actions unacceptable to us.  Not done in our name”        

8. Wrongdoing 3: Arrival of First Fleet of 11 ships, 1400 people – without consent – as recorded by the British

Input by wronged parties – the Voice of the First Peoples must be heard here                                                    

Input by wider Australian community – “These actions unacceptable to us.  Not done in our name”        

9. A Summary: Comments/remarks on 3 to 8 above                                                                                                                           

    Emphasis on positives – we are finally facing up to the past, together.   The truth will liberate everyone

10. Declaration of Recognition of our True History: (culmination/high point of Act of Recognition)

Part 1 – A positive opening

Part 2 – Naming and dealing with negatives arising from our colonizing history

Part 3 – A positive close:  The future – built on making wrong things right

11. Conclusion – Thank you for making this Historic Solemn Assembly happen.  See you again next year

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Dear Reader – please note that over long years A National Act of Recognition has designed what may be the strongest and most sequentially logical Truth Telling model available in Australia today – and perhaps ever.  There are several other organisations working in this space and they are doing a magnificent job.  We support them all.  To the best of our knowledge, however, it appears that no other organisation, in either the public or private sectors, is planning to deal with Truth Telling about our colonizing history in quite the same way we are, the beginning of which is described in documents dated well before the HM Bark Endeavour Journal entries.  

On funding, we estimate our financial obligations to end December 2022 will be in the vicinity of $40,000.  This will cover the cost of normal monthly operations Australia wide, plus the additional cost of assembling the Recognition Team at Kamay Botany Bay in October this year.  Everyone working together, including you, has worked endlessly over long years to bring Truth telling – the Recognition Way to this vital point.  

We are now on the cusp of taking this venture into the public domain. 

For that reason we ask you to please give serious consideration to this appeal we bring to you now.

For cheques please make payable to A National Act of Recognition – and mail to:

A National Act of Recognition,

10 Mirning Crescent 

ARANDA ACT 2614

If you are able to respond please accept our grateful thanks.  However, if this is not a good time for you to make a gift we do understand.  Also, some of you have already given very generously in recent times.  Where that is the case please sit this one out.  

Kind regards,

Lindsay and the Recognition Team

Reverend Lindsay McDowell

Co-Chair    A National Act of Recognition

Recognition Leadership:   Pastor Ossie Cruse          Mr Tom Hallas        Pastor Robyn Beezley        Mr Rodney Rivers

Reverend Lindsay McDowell  T: 02 6253 0300  F: 02 6253 0311  E: office@scma.info  W: www.actofrecognition.org.au

National Coordinator: Southern Cross Ministries Australia Incorporated        10 Mirning Crescent ARANDA ACT 2614