Business School supports Uluru Statement and Voice to Parliament

Leisa Sargent, Dean of the Business School said the motion was a welcome next step in the school’s ongoing commitment to reconciliation and self-determination for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“The Business School has been teaching on the lands of the Gadigal people for over 100 years, and it brings me joy to welcome the warm invitation extended by First Nations peoples to walk together on the path to reconciliation. This is core to everything we do here,” said Professor Sargent.

Danika Wright, Associate Dean (Indigenous Strategy and Services) said: “I am proud that our Business School has said ‘yes’ to walking together with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, communities and businesses for a better shared future.”

The resolution is as follows:

The 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart presents an invitation to all Australians. It is an invitation to walk together towards a better future, and it calls for the establishment of a First Nations Voice enshrined in the Constitution.

The University of Sydney Business School:

• Acknowledges that, as the Business School of Australia’s oldest university, located on Gadigal land, we have a responsibility to contribute our expertise and influence to the betterment of all members of society;
• Recognises the opportunities that economic empowerment can bring in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ self-determination, and the role we play in educating future business leaders though creating and sharing knowledge, while at the same time responding to the under-representation of First Nations students and scholars in Australian business schools;
• Recognises the importance of committing to reconciliation that has been demonstrated across our external partners in the Australian business community, as reflected in industry’s broad support for the Voice;
• Recognises the importance of respectful dialogue and diverse perspectives, and aims to promote engagement with resources relating to the Voice to Parliament and respect that individuals will ultimately vote in accordance with their values and principles at the referendum; and,
• Supports the development and implementation of The University of Sydney’s Sydney in 2032 and One Sydney, Many People strategies, and The University of Sydney Business School Strategy 2023-27, which is guided by the catalysing principle to “Fulfil our social contract with First Nations peoples of Australia by learning from and partnering with them for a better social and economic future.”

The University of Sydney Business School resolves to:

• Support the Uluru Statement from the Heart, including the creation of a constitutionally enshrined First Nations Voice to Parliament and a Makarrata Commission to supervise a process of agreement-making between governments and First Nations and truth-telling about our history.
• Endorse a 'Yes' vote in the referendum on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice to Parliament.