I acknowledge the tremendous contribution of one of Liverpool's First Nation Elders, Uncle Malcolm McColl, who recently shared his incredible life story in theVoices of Liverpool anthology book produced by Liverpool City Council. Born in Armidale to an Aboriginal Kamilaroi mother and a Scottish father, Uncle Malcolm moved to Sydney in 1945, when he was four years old. Considered half-castes by the system of the day, due to their mixed heritage, Uncle Malcolm and his sister were taken away and put in a home. They can recall times when Aboriginal people were treated as flora and fauna. Since then, Uncle Malcolm has helped deliver positive changes in our community and has been a source of wisdom and guidance for successive generations of young Aboriginal men. Along with his wife, Nita, he has been heavily involved with the Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council for many years, helping to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people in south‑west Sydney. While our nation has far more to do to close the gap, the experiences and actions of people like Uncle Malcolm are invaluable in getting us closer to such a point.