Colin Markham fondly remembers the day 20 yeas ago he was part of around 250,000 people who walked across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of reconciliation.
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Mr Markham was the State Member for Wollongong and parliamentary secretary when he took part in the largest political demonstration in Australia's history..
"Still as fresh in my mind of what it was 20 years ago. It was an absolutely incredible part of Australian history," Mr Markham told the Mercury.
"I'll never forget when we were about halfway across the bridge a sky writer wrote up in the sky SORRY......and everyone cheered. It was just an incredible response."
But Mr Markham though remains underwhelmed at the progress on indigenous affairs since that "great event"
"We've had the Uluru [Statement from the Heart} and the apology from [former Prime Minister} Kevin Rudd, and still nothing happens," he said.
"Things haven't changed all that dramatically. You still got an over-representation of Aboriginals, men and women in prisons and the Royal Commission into that hasn't been implemented in full.
"I know from experience, I was in NSW parliament for 15 years, white politicians don't see Aboriginal affairs very high on the list. Until that changes, we will not make any real change for the better."
Summer May Finlay did not get the opportunity to walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge in support of reconciliation.
But on Thursday the lecturer in the UOW School of Health and Society did get the chance to discuss the demonstration as part of a panel including the Hon Ken Wyatt MP, the Hon Linda Burney MP and Reconciliation Australia CEO Karen Mundine.
The discussion was hosted by Larissa Behrendt on ABC Radio National program Speaking Out.
"For someone looking at the event, it really showed to me as a 19-year-old woman when I was watching it on the news that Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people can come together and consider what it means in this country to be both First Nation and also other Australians," Ms Finlay said.
"We can progress along a process of reconciliation. The symbolism and mass movement was just phenomenal and it is really encouraging and I think that we have made a lot of progress since then but probably have a lot more work to do."
She said there was lots to be proud of.
"I think about my personal family history, my grandmother, who wasn't allowed to speak language, my mum left school at 14 because of huge amounts of racism and also needing to go to work and help the family.
"I know my mum in particularly experienced a lot of racism and so did my cousins."
Ms Finlay said while there was still racism today, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people had more opportunities to succeed.
"The very fact that I have submitted a PhD and will soon be a doctor is testament to the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can do well in this country," she said.
"But at the same time we need to see more of my success and the success of having our first indigenous minister as Ken Wyatt.
"We need to stop having firsts. We need to actually see that this becomes the status quo, we need it ti become normalised."
Ms Finlay said focusing on equity was needed.
"We need to be making sure that university systems and school systems are set up so Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can learn in a way that reflects their histories and cultures.
"We also need to make sure we are embedding within our schools' systems and our universities more education around Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures told by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people."
Ms Finlay is also all for truth telling.
"The truth telling process allows this country to get on the record , with no judgement what it was that happened here post colonisation and particularly focusing on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history," she said.
"I think when this country has a better understanding of what happened, we will have a better understanding of how to overcome those disadvantages so entrenched in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
"I think there is a lot of goodwill in this country......we actually really really need the 97 per cent in our community to do the heavy lifting when it comes to reconciliation and that requires I think a significant change in their mindset."
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
