From the Principal     

• Prayer:  National Reconciliation Week
• Pentecost Sunday
• Athletics Carnivals - Compulsory Attendance
• SPX Annual Survey 

Prayer:  National Reconciliation Week

The College marked the beginning of National Reconciliation Week with a special Reconciliation Assembly where Indigenous students and staff from CBHS Lewisham joined us to acknowledge the importance of this week.

We who have come from every land

give thanks for our country Australia,

this earth that feeds us, the shores that bind us,

the skies that envelop our freedom.

We give our thanks and praise.

Let us look back with courage;

See the truth and speak it.

Let us look around with compassion;

See the cost and share it.

Let us look forward with hope;

See what can be and create it.

Amen

I offer for your consideration some background notes to the story of Indigenous Peoples' Rights in Australia

• 27th May is the 50th Anniversary of the 1967 Referendum with regards to Aboriginal and Torres Strait People:  The sections of the (then existing) Constitution under scrutiny were:

                51. The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the                         peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to:

                ... (xxvi) The people of any race, other than the aboriginal people in any State, for whom it                  is necessary to make special laws.

                127. In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth of a State or other part                of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives should not be counted.

• The removal of the words '... other than the aboriginal people in any State ...' in section 51 (xxvi) and the whole of section 127 were considered by many to be representative of the prevailing movement for political change within Indigenous affairs.  As a result of the political climate, this referendum saw the highest YES vote ever recorded in a Federal referendum, with 90.77 per cent voting for change.
• The Constitution was changed ... on 10th August 1967.
• The 1967 referendum did not give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the right to vote.  This right had been legislated for Commonwealth elections in 1962, with the last State to provide Indigenous enfranchisement being Queensland in 1965.

Pentecost Sunday

Next Sunday 4th June is the Feast of Pentecost.  This is the life-giving event that saw the Holy Spirit come to the Apostles after the Ascension of Jesus.  As promised, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to give them strength and continue their ministry.

Athletics Carnival

The Senior Athletics Carnival will be held next Tuesday 6th June at Homebush Main Athletics Arena and the Junior School Athletics Carnival takes place on Wednesday 7th June at the Sydney Olympic Park Warm-up Venue, Homebush.  Parents are welcome to join us for these events.

This is a compulsory school day for all students. Any absence must be accompanied by a Doctor’s Certificate.

SPX Annual Survey

We are seeking the largest possible response so I again encourage all parents to complete the Annual Survey which has been emailed to you.  Once again I draw your attention to the question about the new Senior Blazer at the end of the survey and look forward to hearing the community’s response.  The question is as follows:

• Introduce a compulsory Year 11/12 Blazer with Gold Braiding and Piping (cost approximately $200.00.)

I urge all parents, students and staff to have their say through the survey.

Mr John Couani - Principal