The Melbourne Anglican reports that Anglican bishops of Melbourne and Gippsland have been testifying at hearings of the state of Victoria’s Yoorrook Justice Commission.

The Commission was set up to enquire into “historical systemic injustice perpetrated by State and Non-State entities against First Peoples since the start of colonisation”.

The Victorian Province of the Anglican Church of Australia was represented by the Bishop of Marmingatha, Genieve Blackwell, and the Bishop of Gippsland, Richard Treloar.

Bishop Treloar described “the paradox of the Church of England Mission to Aborigines providing protection while co-operating with government policies that were causing cultural genocide. He acknowledged that deep-seated racism had a devastating impact on the Aboriginal population both physically and spiritually”.

Bishop Blackwell “acknowledged the continuing willingness of First Nations people to engage with the Church, what she described as ‘an incredible sign of grace’”.

You can read the full article in the Melbourne Anglican here:
https://tma.melbourneanglican.org.au/2024/05/weighty-work-at-yoorrook-as-anglican-bishops-testify/