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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Second Session (51-2)
2007-10-24 Daily Xml
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WITH ONE VOICE

Ms SIMMONS (Morialta) (15:55): I was very privileged last week to launch a new book called With One Voice written by two dear friends: school teacher extraordinaire, Campbell Whalley, and Pappa Reg Dodd, elder of the Arabunna people in the Far North of this state.

The book is a story of reconciliation, not one of rhetoric or policy but a reflection of a 'just do it' program between two schools which commenced in October 1995. Campbell Whalley, a former game warden in Africa and a geography teacher at Pembroke School with a bent for practical escapes from the classroom, took 20 students to the Far North of the state. They called in at the Arabunna Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Reg welcomed the group, striking up a lasting friendship with Campbell.

Campbell had a vision that great things could come from the trust and friendship that the two men developed. Driven only by hope and mutual respect for each other and each other's cultures, Reg and Campbell worked collaboratively to move hundreds of young South Australians from their two schools to build a new understanding and new processes that allowed for everyone to walk together and create better tomorrows.

Although aimed at the schoolchildren, many families from both ends of the state were included in the practical delivery of this active reconciliation program which has to be one of the true success stories in reconciliation in South Australia. We were one of those lucky families, my daughter Katie being one of the original focus group followed closely by her brother Matt. This connection between two unlikely schools worked because Reg and Campbell allowed an easy and unforced relationship between students in both communities to unfold.

All the adults took a back seat but still provided support if it was needed. The primary focus was for the students to work and play well together and allow true understanding and sincere friendships to evolve naturally. The adults remained mindful that all the activities needed to be purposeful and allow students to learn about their communities, personal lives and aspirations, even their hopes and fears.

It was also imperative for the Marree students to develop an understanding of the world at large, the world unfamiliar to them that existed beyond Marree through the eyes and hearts of their Pembroke friends. Equally important was for the Pembroke students to appreciate issues involved with living in an isolated Outback community, especially if you had an indigenous heritage. Amazingly, the obvious differences generally did not pose any difficulties and students remained open and aware, assisting each other's journey into the unknown. Incidental learning seemed as important and as meaningful as any that was structured and planned.

On retirement from Pembroke, Campbell Whalley has been teaching at Marree and he has expanded the original reconciliation program to take in Dr Jane Goodall's (one of our thinkers in residence) Roots and Shoots program. Campbell and Jane had known each other back in Tanzania many years ago and reconnected during her visit to Adelaide in 2006. Roots and Shoots builds on this early work and ensures the creation of a better world for all living things. It is about making positive change happen.

Campbell Whalley has now turned 70. He says that he is retiring again. There are many families throughout our state who will be forever indebted to him for changing our lives. He is one of life's optimists. He believes that hope and peace are values we can teach our children even in this materialistic world. He shows children how to dream and then how to make dreams come true. I recommend With One Voice to the house and I thank Reg Dodd and Campbell Whalley for all they have done for reconciliation in this state over the past 12 years.

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