Message from the Co-Chairs
We are proud to present Arnold Bloch Leibler’s fourth Annual Progress Report on the firm’s Indigenous Solidarity Statement of Commitment, first published in 2021 (the Statement of Commitment).
Each year, this report serves as a moment to pause and consider the work we have undertaken in solidarity with First Nations peoples. It also enables us to evaluate how we have advanced against our stated priorities and to consider the next steps in our ongoing journey of learning and action. While previous reports have outlined our upcoming priorities, in 2025 we have chosen a different approach for identifying our focus for 2026, which is outlined later in this report.
Throughout the year, both the Arnold Bloch Leibler Indigenous Solidarity Network (AISN) and the firm have continued to make meaningful contributions toward meeting our 2025 commitments. We also recognise that progress is not always linear. In some areas, we have encountered challenges that have slowed our momentum, and this report provides an important opportunity to acknowledge, reflect and learn from those experiences.
As we look ahead, we reaffirm our steadfast support for the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its vision for Voice, Treaty and Truth. Since the Statement’s release, Arnold Bloch Leibler has stood alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, embracing the invitation to walk together towards a more just and inclusive future for all Australians.
Following the deeply disappointing outcome of the Voice referendum in October 2023, and after the period of reflection and mourning called for by many First Nations Peoples, the AISN has reoriented its focus towards supporting implementation of the remaining two aspects of the Uluru Statement, Treaty and Truth Telling. In 2025 we have focused, in particular, on education regarding the Treaty process currently occurring in Victoria. Victoria has made significant strides with the advancement of landmark legislation, the passing of the first Treaty in Australia between a state government and First Nations Peoples, and a renewed commitment to genuine partnership and self-determination for First Peoples.
We will continue to support the ongoing Treaty and Truth Telling processes in 2026 and consider the best ways in which we can further the firm’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous solidarity more broadly. In doing so, we will continue to be led by First Nations leaders, organisations, clients and friends who inform the ways in which we pursue that commitment.
We extend our sincere gratitude to all members of the AISN for their ongoing dedication and contributions throughout the year, with special thanks to Peter Seidel and Bridgid Cowling for their unwavering and invaluable support. We are also grateful to the partnership of Arnold Bloch Leibler, particularly Mark Leibler AC, Henry Lanzer AM, and Christine Fleer for their steadfast support of the AISN and its initiatives. Our thanks also go to the marketing, events, human resources, IT and catering teams, whose hard work and commitment have been essential to the success of our events, initiatives, and publications.
Max Griffin and Kalinda Scheef
AISN Co-Chairs
