There are very few days that the Commonwealth of Australia deserves a toast, but today a very great

There are very few days that the Commonwealth of Australia deserves a toast, but today a very great injustice was set right and that is worthy of raising a glass.

The four years lost by the Nadesalingam family can never be given back, but tonight they’re home in Biloela, and there’s something more within that: we cannot change the past, we can’t undo an injury inflicted and endured but, and this is important, we can and we must try to do better next time.

I have spent so long trying to escape. So much of me still wants to. But I can’t. I can’t just be alone, because alone is a childish thing to be; I have the capacity to help other people, and I have the will and the desire to do so, and so I must.

Am I happy with my country? No. What a very vulgar suggestion. There are so many things wrong, so many monsters to be fought, and I can only do so very little.

But I do love my country, it is so beautiful; and when I watch the waves break on the beach tomorrow morning and when I close my eyes tonight and dream of Leliyn, I’ll know that it is worth fighting for. That justice can be achieved. I’ll learn the lesson that Vincent Lingiari fought so hard to teach us: that a great sea-change is possible; that a further shore is reachable from here; that from little things, big things grow.

Not every day, not most days, but every once in a while, every once in a while, a day can be good. This is one of them.

So here’s to the Commonwealth of Australia. 

I promise I’ll do my best to make it even better tomorrow.