Australia faces a critical decision, perhaps a spiritual rather than a political decision.  On 14 October we must decide whether we will amend our constitution to officially confess that our First Nations people once possessed the whole of our country, and to give them a Voice to Parliament, with probably no more influence than the lobbyists of a fossil fuel company.  In this issue of The Australian Friend Possum Hodgkin suggests that the concept of terra nullius was the starting point for the loss of integrity in Australia.  David Johnson writes “The early colonisers were outside the divine law, following laws of their own making which suited their own profiteering. These invaders did not obey the inward Law of Christ, did not affirm natural justice”.  He urges us to follow our inward Light.

Also in this issue, Dorothy Scott tells of another group sorely treated by our country, the refugees.  Kaye Wright’s poignant little story and Reg Naulty’s book review throw light and love on people suffering from dementia, and Michael Corbett points out how our unthinking actions can cause distress to f/Friends.  Duncan Frewin returns with advice for running our Meetings, this time for Clerks.  Judith Pembleton calls for a Meeting for Learning in Queensland, and introduces us to a rather isolated but vey active Friend.  Fleur Bayley tells of the domestic rearrangements of QSA, and if all this is too much, Heather Saville invites us to take a break at Worona.