Martin Mercer
Currently an Executive Director in Telstra's marketing organisation, Martin Mercer has held senior executive positions in many of Telstra's businesses. Prior to Telstra, Martin held executive positions in the resources sector, government and the bureaucracy. Educated at the University of Sydney and Princeton University, USA, in law, economics, finance and the liberal arts, Martin is a past Harkness Fellow.
What a reconciled Australia looks like to me.
In a reconciled Australia I will have indigenous neighbours; shop at indigenous owned businesses; be led by an indigenous CEO; be ministered to by indigenous doctors; be challenged by indigenous colleagues; grow old with indigenous friends; applaud indigenous laureates and scholars; be enthralled by indigenous art and music; read indigenous history and understand indigenous culture.
In a reconciled Australia my children will have indigenous teachers; will share good health and longevity with their indigenous classmates; will find indigenous role models in all their endeavours; will experience the richness of indigenous culture, and learn indigenous history.
In a reconciled Australia the media will report upon the remarkable gains in indigenous health and economic outcomes; will trumpet the advances in infant mortality rates, indigenous life expectancy and shrinking incarceration rates. Stock footage of town camps will be consigned to the archives.
In a reconciled Australia we will be proud custodians of a Treaty of Reconciliation and one day I will be voting for an indigenous head of state.
In a reconciled Australia all of this will be commonplace, and the distinguishing thing about indigenous people will be that they have been here a lot longer than the rest of us.
Martin Mercer
