Over 6 million people said Yes. So what's next?

NAIDOC is now past. But I am here reflecting as we wrap a recent community fundraiser where we have been so lucky to achieve our fundraising goal that I thought, what better way to wrap the whirlwind of the past couple of days than to reflect on the key messages you need to remember from this year's theme as well as share some top takeaways from a recent webinar I co-delivered with Dixie Lee Crawford from Nganya.

Strength was a part of this year's theme, and for me, my message to wider Australia is that it is time to start seeing Aboriginal communities for our power, not as problems.

It’s easy to focus on deficit narratives; many of you can probably recall stories of our disadvantage more than you can our success. But when media and the public speak about our communities in terms of what’s broken, what’s missing and what’s not working, and that is the dominant lens, then you can't see the strength and power right in front of you. While I am on this point around communication, narratives and media, I strongly encourage you to read the book Black Witness by Amy McQuire, who dives deep into the reality of the deficit mindset and how detrimental this belief has been for policy that has impacted Aboriginal communities in Australia.

When governments and systems focus on deficit thinking, they create programs that treat our people as the problems rather than solution holders. But the truth is this:

Our communities are already holding answers to some of the biggest challenges facing this country today, from justice reform to climate care to mental health and wellbeing to planning and design.

If you're serious about working with us or alongside us in government, corporate, education, health, or anywhere else, then the first shift is that we are partners, not problems.

Start investing in the power we already carry. And actually consider the wisdom our knowledge and expertise can add more broadly to social policy and the community.

The outcome of the Voice referendum hurt. For many of us, it was a deep wound layered on generations of erasure. Not only did it divide Australia, it fragmented Aboriginal communities, and many describe it as feeling like we were put 10 steps back. Regardless of where you sat on that journey. One thing we know is that in the middle of that pain, over 6 million Australians voted YES.

That’s a massive expression of solidarity. A statement from everyday people that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices should have power in the systems that affect us.

So where to from here then?

Legacy isn’t made through voting alone. It’s based on what happens next.

• Are you backing Aboriginal-led organisations?

• Are you pushing your workplace to co-design with community?

• Are you using your professional influence to open space, shift funding, and redistribute power?

I don’t have the answers, but I do know there are a heck of a lot of good people out here looking for what's next – If you’re an ally looking to invest energy into where to from here, check out Holly West from Impact Policy, who is driving some incredible Ally Community of Practice work. It might not be the answer, but it might be the start of the path. There is a meeting this Friday for the CoP – shoot Holly a message if you want an invite. It is free. The only thing you need is an internet connection and a good human.

When I think about Vision, I think about the question, 'What kind of country are we really fighting for?' I invite you to take a breath even just for a moment. Now close your eyes. Go on, lean in with me.

Picture the future, 30 or 50 years from now. Picture the land you live on. Imagine the community you are a part of. Imagine the country you wish to leave behind for your children and grandchildren.

What do you see?

Do you see thriving Aboriginal languages and knowledge systems? Shared decision-making across health, education and justice? Land being cared for by those who have always known how?

Or do you see more of the same?

Because vision isn’t just about imagination. It’s about intention. And right now, your decisions, like where you work, how you lead, and what you fund, are all going to shape the world that future generations will inherit.

If your vision is for a more just, truthful, and connected Australia, then ask yourself honestly:

What am I doing to make that real? How am I showing up today?

Last week, I co-hosted a powerful NAIDOC Week webinar with Dixie Crawford. Over 110 people joined us to explore this year’s theme through the lenses of strength, legacy, and vision.

I can't share the link to the webinar as it is private and was purchased by attendees, but if you want to purchase a copy for yourself or your organisation, 100% of the profits all go back into women's and girls' sports programs in the inner city.

Just comment 'keen' on the newsletter or DM me, and I'll inbox you directly.

But because you made it this far, I am going to share with you five takeaways from the webinar anyway so you get the good stuff even though you might have missed out on it.

Here are five takeaways. I want to share with you:

1. Decolonisation means remembering there’s always been more than one path. Aboriginal governance isn’t new; it’s just long been devalued by colonial systems. We must re-centre Indigenous governance as legitimate and enduring.

2. Strength is not aspirational; it’s lived. Aboriginal leadership already exists in every community. The real question is, are we listening?

3. Legacy requires both structural and personal change. Agreeing isn’t enough. You must act in your workplace, in your networks, and in how you spend your money and share your power.

4. We must move from consultation to co-governance. True change means embedding Aboriginal people in decision-making, not after the fact, but from the start.

5. Truth-telling must be systematised. It's not a one-off event. It's a practical one that should be embedded in curriculum, policy, service design, and how we relate to each other. It is integrated in our shared values and principles as organisations and professionals.

🛠️ So What Can We Do? Here’s Where to Start

If you’ve read this far, you’re probably asking, 'What does this actually look like in practice?'

Here’s a starting point:

✅ Invest in Aboriginal-led leadership pathways Support culturally grounded training, mentorship, and governance roles, not just tokenistic seats on committees and advisory groups.

✅ Support co-governance models Bring Aboriginal people into the heart of planning, policy, and decision-making. Not as advisors. As leaders. Wherever we can, we should be sharing power and decision-making with the communities that those decisions impact the most.

✅ Embed truth-telling in your systems Push for formal structures from curriculum reform to government-backed truth commissions that honour historical and ongoing realities.

✅ Make space for young people to lead Don’t shape them in the image of broken systems. Let them reshape the systems that broke us. This requires the courage and leadership to do things differently.

✅ Act with consistency, not just visibility NAIDOC Week is a spark. Your job is to keep it burning every week, every meeting, every policy review, and every budget season.

This year’s NAIDOC theme isn’t just a celebration. It’s a mirror.

It asks us all, 'What are you building?' What are you leaving behind? And what kind of Country will your grandchildren walk on?

The fire’s burning.

Will you feed it or walk away?

Because the truth is, this is not just a NAIDOC message for Aboriginal communities. It’s a call to you.

And we need you not to lead, but to stand beside us as we keep this fire burning.

Authored by Sam Alderton-Johnson for Impact Policy