You must understand this, my beloved brothers and sisters: let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness. James 1:19-20

It is sobering to think that one year has passed since the unsuccessful referendum to establish an indigenous voice to Parliament. While the majority was with the ‘no vote’, many of Australia’s First Peoples were left with heavy hearts. Some wondered if the result indicated that the majority of Australia thought little of them and did not what to hear them.  

Regardless of our opinions of the result, and the political debate before and since, Australia's Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to have; the worst health outcomes, challenges in housing, low completion rates in education, the lowest life expectancy, and highest rate of infant mortality. Stan Grant comments that ‘an Indigenous youth has more chance of being locked up than being educated’.  All this in the ‘lucky’ country.

Recently the NCCA Forum affirmed ‘Deep Listening’ as critical in the future work of the Council. Laura Brearley describes deep listening in her book Gulpa Ngawal Indigenous Deep Listening (RMIT 2014):

The Indigenous concept of Deep Listening describes a way of learning, working, and togetherness that is informed by the concepts of community and reciprocity. Leadership underpinned by Deep Listening involves listening respectfully, which can help build community.

I wonder what would change if there was a collective decision to deeply listen. We may find ways to respond to experience of Australia’s First Peoples in a listening discernment. Such a way of working maybe what James intends when we says ‘be quick to listen and slow to speak’! There are many times when it seems that we listen ‘briefly’ and talk ‘quickly’. 

James invites a change in practice that all of us, including me, could do. Doing this may lead to greater insight and learning. It would be a slow process, and the outcomes may lead to deep change in us all.  

Rev John Gilmore

NCCA President