Special Synod Meeting and Apology to Congress

On Saturday 22 March 2025 a special meeting of the Synod of Western Australia was held to discuss matters relating to the Beananging Kwuurt Institute (BKI). Reports were received by the Moderator, Rev Dr Ian Tozer, by the Synod Standing Committee, the Nominating Committee, and the BKI Board. The meeting concluded with the Moderator reading an Apology to Congress.

The meeting of the Special Synod began with a Welcome to Country by Rev Mitchell Garlett, followed by the viewing of a video by Common Grace which was filmed in March 2018, where the late Rev Sealin Garlett (RIP) was being interviewed by Jarrod McKenna on what it means to be a peacemaker. The video can be found on the Common Grace website here – https://www.commongrace.org.au/beatitudes_peacemakers (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers please be aware that the following video contains the image and voice of a deceased person)

Reports from the Moderator, and Synod Standing Committee were an opportunity for the Synod in session to hear an overview of decisions surrounding the suspension of the previous BKI Board, and appointment of the new Board at the recommendation of the WA Regional Committee of Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC WA). The membership of this new Board was confirmed later by the Synod.

The report from the BKI Board was presented by Alison Xamon, member of the Synod Standing Committee, in conjunction with Rev Robert Jetta and Rev Mitchell Garlett. The report included some background to the history of the former site of Sister Kate’s Home and the vision that led to the establishment of Beananging Kwuurt Institute in 2007 on the Queens Park site as an expression of the Covenant between the Uniting Church in Australia, and UAICC. They outlined the discussions that had occurred from as early as 2012 between BKI and the WA Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation trading as Yokai, for a healing centre at the Treasure Rd site, and the historic Memorandum of Understanding that had been entered into in March 2025 between BKI, UAICC WA and the Western Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation (WASGAC) trading as Yokai: Healing Our Spirit.

The BKI Report was also an opportunity for deep listening as we heard from Aunty Marilyn Garlett, and Uncle Howard Riley who spoke on behalf of Elders and WA Congress. They shared about the importance of the Healing Centre and the vision that the late Rev Sealin Garlett had for the Queens Park site. They called on the Synod to progress in love, understanding and unity.

Dr Jim Morrison, Chair of Yokai, was then invited to speak, to share more about the vision for the Healing Centre on the former Sister Kate’s site to be a place of truth telling, learning and development to help all generations of Stolen Generations survivors and their families.

The business session concluded with the Synod confirming the decisions of the Moderator and the Synod Standing Committee in relation to the matters brought to the meeting.

The Uniting Church WA Moderator Rev Dr Ian Tozer then offered this apology to the WA Regional Committee of the Uniting Aboriginal Christian Congress:

“We meet in Lent, a time for reflection, self-examination and repentance as, in the Spirit, we follow Jesus to Jerusalem and the cross and the resurrection. It is a season when we turn or return to the true way when we acknowledge something needing change.
Lenten reflection is a call to face reality – even what is uncomfortable – to own up about what has happened and to make changes. Followers of Jesus are called to a life of repentance.
In 1994, the President of the Uniting Church acknowledged, as part of our covenant commitment to Congress, that the impact of church and “western culture” often caused harm to First Peoples. Dr Jill Tabart specifically apologized for wrongs done “knowingly or unknowingly”.
I come today with an apology about recent events related to WA Congress and BKI in the spirit of the Covenant.
As a church, we have committed ourselves to the Covenant call to work together practically.
However, there are always cultural elements. Habits and practices of “western culture” which are built-into our processes sometimes mean that our ways of functioning as a church cause harm. Sometimes people are harmed by the time things take. Leaving decisions with meetings often means that we delay decisions.
Today, we lament that it took so long to deal with Congress WA’s request in 2023 to conclude the term of the BKI board then in place and the programs under its oversight.
We regret that this time meant continuing hurt for Congress and other church members and leaders.
We lament we took so long to find a solution when it became clear that those on the BKI Board that was in place at that time and those operating its programs were not just working outside Uniting Church values, but were also using the BKI Facebook page to undermine Congress priorities and abuse the UCA and its leaders.
We regret that, when it became clear that those linked with the suspended board of BKI and its operations would not fulfill their undertakings, we were not able to find a solution earlier.
We lament not finding a way to end quickly an untenable situation with trespassers and squatters at the Treasure Road site. We were shocked to hear that these people have denied Congress and BKI ownership and wanted to take control of the land.
We regret our part, knowingly or unknowingly, in this situation which has included the abuse of Congress leaders and members, the defamation of past Elders, and the damage this has been caused.
As Christians, we are not immune to struggle with how to respond to complex situations.
So, we come to you members of Congress WA; we confess our shortcomings, we regret the ways our actions have knowingly or unknowingly failed you, and we ask for your grace and forgiveness.
We ask that together we can learn from these experiences.
We commit to the Covenant we have made, and we pray that, through the grace of God, even as we stumble or make wrong turns, we will come back together and journey alongside each other as First and Second Peoples.
We meet today as the Synod. ‘Synod’ literally means being on the way together. As the people of God on the way, following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, we seek to go forward together in sole loyalty to Jesus, bearing witness to the unity which is both God’s gift and will.
In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

You can download a copy of the Apology to Congress here:

More information regarding the partnership between BKI, UAICC WA and WASGAC can be found on the Yokai site here – https://yokai.com.au/partnership-at-sister-kates-children-home/