On Sunday 20 September, more than 120 members, volunteers and employees gathered at Bankstown Sports Club for our 2026 Social Justice Forum, coming together with a shared passion and commitment to advancing social justice and building a more just, compassionate and inclusive society.
The Social Justice Forum explored the power of storytelling, truth-telling and advocacy to create meaningful change, with sessions including Storytelling and Truth-Telling and How to Engage with Your MP.
Led by the Society’s First Nations Engagement Manager Jonno Barnes, the Truth-Telling session featured keynote speaker Walangari Karntawarra and cultural performers, inviting participants to listen deeply, learn from the past and reflect on our shared responsibility to justice and reconciliation.
Walangari spoke passionately on the importance of reckoning with the truth of Australia’s history, in its entirety, – “the harder the road, the firmer the steps” – as part of a shared responsibility to our beautiful home. The session concluded with a performance from Diramu Aboriginal Dance and Didgeridoo, showcasing the culture of First Nations peoples that has endured for thousands of years.
The Society NSW will continue to highlight the importance of building relationships with First Nations communities and the call to walk together for Voice, Treaty and Truth, in the Uluru Statement of the Heart. Led by our First Nations Strategy team, our next steps will be to engage with the wider Society NSW community. In Jonno's words:
With the NSW State Election set to take place in March next year, the afternoon session of the forum assembled a panel to discuss the importance of members engaging with candidates to promote the Society’s priorities.
Chris Hayes, Wollongong Central Council Social Justice Representative, shared his insights as a former Member of Federal Parliament; Jack Barlow, Government Relations Advisor, spoke on how to go about engaging candidates; Roydon Ng, Schools Engagement Officer, highlighted the issues relevant to young people; and Megan Bingham, Acting Policy and Advocacy Manager, outlined the key issues the Society NSW will be taking to the election.
To close out the Social Justice Forum, a world café allowed attendees to engage directly with the Society Government Relations and Policy team, as well as organisations sharing common goals and priorities, including:
The day was a wonderful demonstration of collaboration and the commitment of our people to advancing social justice.
Thank you the Government Relations and Policy Team and all those who helped bring the Social Justice Forum to life.
Contact social.justice@vinnies.org.au for further support.
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