the Age 31st May 2005

It was all a misunderstanding, but it underscored the fragility of the new consensus around Prime Minister John Howard's reconciliation agenda.

The second day of Reconciliation Australia's workshop was to have begun with a speech by WA Governor John Sanderson.

But, after indigenous elder Lowitja O'Donoghue delivered a generous introduction, it was announced that Amanda Vanstone would have to jump the queue and speak first.

Senator Vanstone has two ministerial hats, indigenous affairs and immigration, and she had to be back at Parliament House for the Coalition party-room debate on mandatory detention. She apologised to the Governor and thanked the organisers for accommodating her, gently reminding the audience that she had arrived on time and it was the program that was running late.

But there was no specific apology to Professor O'Donoghue, one of the nation's most respected indigenous activists, who told the audience she felt "really put down" by what had happened. "I came here with an attempt to try and put the ills of what the Government is doing to us behind me, and look what happened," she said.

Senator Vanstone had no time to explain that she intended no offence and was sorry she had to hurry away.

But for many present, the episode highlighted the need for a designated indigenous affairs minister. Many considered it indicative of the priority the Government afforded the reconciliation agenda.

Certainly, the rushed nature of Senator Vanstone's appearance detracted from a speech that picked up on the themes of engagement and optimism of Mr Howard's address on Monday.

Australia was embarking on a "new conversation" on indigenous issues, she said. "The conversation must be with them, not about them."

The head of Mr Howard's department, Dr Peter Shergold, suggested the motto for the new approach should be "start simple, grow big". Reconciliation, he said, was "about comparing the bold rhetoric of 'self-determination' with the sad reality of dependency on government and finding practical ways to bridge the gap".

Rick Farley, a member of the former Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and the workshop rapporteur, remarked on the "extraordinary change" in the Prime Minister's language. "I've got no doubt that a lot of people are cynical about that, but the bottom line is that there is an opportunity there now that was not there before," he said.

He said the overwhelming theme of speakers had been the need for a representative indigenous body to respond to Mr Howard's offer of engagement.

Patrick Dodson, chairman of the Lingiari Foundation, yesterday linked the new approach of shared responsibility agreements to the ultimate goal of a reconciliation agreement, or treaty.

The agreement-making ideology had to go beyond service delivery and public sector outcomes, he said.

The workshop ended on an optimistic note, with Reconciliation Australia co-chairwoman Jackie Huggins saying that the hard work of turning commitments into action would begin today.