This week our school community has reflected on National Reconciliation Week and this year’s theme, “All In.” The theme reminds us that reconciliation is not something to observe from the sidelines, but something each of us must take responsibility for every day.
At Senior School Muster on Tuesday, Henry and I were fortunate to welcome and interview Daniel Motlop, a proud First Nations man, former AFL footballer and now an important figure in Indigenous business. Daniel spoke about the importance of family, the strong Motlop history in the AFL, and the challenges he faced moving away from home to pursue an elite sporting career. What stood out most was his reflection on life after football. While Daniel had a successful AFL career, his work beyond sport is just as significant. Through businesses such as Something Wild, he has helped promote native Australian ingredients, share important cultural stories, and create opportunities for Aboriginal communities. His message about resilience, identity and using success to support others was powerful.
The following morning, I had the privilege of attending the National Reconciliation Week Breakfast at the Adelaide Convention Centre, alongside more than 3,000 people from across South Australia. The size of the event was a reminder that reconciliation is shared work, involving schools, businesses, communities and individuals standing together. Keynote speaker Eddie Betts shared his journey from childhood through to his AFL career and spoke about the Eddie Betts Foundation, which empowers Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth by creating opportunities through education, sport and leadership.
Another significant moment was hearing from Aunty Ros Cameron, a Stolen Generations Survivor, educator and author. Her story focused on truth-telling, healing, connection, identity and belonging, reminding us that reconciliation must begin with listening and acknowledging the truth of Australia’s history.
At the breakfast, Reconciliation Australia described reconciliation through five key dimensions: race relations, equality and equity, institutional integrity, unity and historical acceptance. These ideas challenge us to think about how we act each day: how we speak, listen, learn and respond. For us as students, being “All In” means showing respect, learning the truth of our shared history, and recognising that reconciliation is everyone’s responsibility. Meaningful change requires honesty, courage and commitment, not just during National Reconciliation Week, but every day.
Archie Braithwaite
School Captain
