The 1967 referendum was NOT to enable Commonwealth make laws treating Australians differently on grounds of race, indeed the opposite, the referendum aimed stop such discrimination practiced by Commonwealth and States.

The 1967 referendum aimed particularly to benefit Australians who happening to be Aboriginal by declaring they also held same rights, same responsibilities as their fellow Australians, these rights and responsibilities denied by Commonwealth and State governments.

The 1967 referendum re-affirmed desire of federation that ALL Australians held same rights, same responsibilities as their fellow Australians regardless of racial ancestry.

Referendum results demonstrated overwhelming demand from Australians all denial of rights and responsibilities by racial testing be Constitutionally outlawed, so as to Constitutionally stop all those actions and inactions taken by Commonwealth and States stripping fellow Australians of their rights and responsiblities as Australians by racial test.

Each time Justices of High Court permit a Commonwealth or State action which qualifies rights or responsibilites on racial grounds are failing their Constitutional duty to defend the Constitution of Australia AS AGREED TO BY THE PEOPLE OF AUSTRALIA.

In Northern Territory families are still segegregated, still seperated on basis of decisions as to racial ancestry. Similar antics around the states, all under popular welfare catch cry: we are here to help you...

Alice Springs based Central Land Council denies Traditional Owner's living within their Traditional Homelands right for spouse or members of family live with them, or visit them, unless obtained is permission from CLC.

CLC objects to federal requirement homes funded using Commonwealth monies provide a valid lease to tennants, many Traditional Owner's living within their Traditional Homelands in housing funded from Commonwealth funds.

CLC concern is simple, giving leases gives rights.... such as right to members of family live with them, or visit them, right have others come visit or assist them, without needing obtain permission from the Central Land Council.

Overwhelming desire of Australian's that no Australian's rights and responsibilities qualified on racial grounds is thwarted, defeated, by racists with support from Parliament greedy for powers to divide Australians...

What galaxy are you people coming from? The 1967 referendum was an attempted con on the Australian people that backfired. The real desire of the government of the day was to break the nexus, a provision in the constitution that ties the size of the Senate to that of the House of Reps. They thought that if they put up two referenda, one on a subject that no-one could object to, and the other to break the nexus, the people would obligingly approve both. Of course the people took the bait and not the hook, by overwhelmingly passing the aboriginal one and rejecting the one on the nexus.

People such as myself, who are totally opposed to any extension of the power of the Commonwealth government under any circumstances whatsoever, and have to watch as both parties inexorably increase that power, without ever obtaining the approval of the people, can only hope that the wariness shown by the people will continue.

Plerdsus asks "What galaxy are you people coming from?" Umm, that'd be the ACILTasman Economic Consulting Galaxy. ACIL Tasman's clients include "Alcoa, Boral, WMC, Rio Tinto" http://www.aciltasman.com.au/Expertise/expertise_environment.html .

I can't shake the nagging feeling that Johns' objections to "interventions such as collectivisation and self-determination" have more to do with the business needs of his clients than with any great concern for Indigenous welfare. Much easier to deal with individuals than with unwieldy organisations. As a friend who deals with Indigenous organisations complains that they just "talk, talk, talk and don't decide anything". Just like Parliament.

When he Gary Johns says that "the 3,000 Aborigines squatting in camps around Alice Springs have escaped from the prison of collectivised land rights", I feel we have entered an alternative reality. Does Gary really know so little about town camps? That people regularly travel to and fro between the camps and remote settlements. That some come in to town from dry communities to go on benders.

So Gary Johns is President of the Bennelong Society? More like President of the Ignorant Self-Interest Society.

Gary Johns, failed ex Laborite and mediocre intellectual.

I have no desire to indulge this effort other than to say -

Gary, its time you got a real job and life.

We blackfella's and our issues have propped up your failing political career for long enough.

Bugger off! You’re a dud

Knock off! The 40th Anniversary does not need rubbish such as this. I'm afraid Johns who has made quite a career out of his participation in the "Aboriginal industry" he is such a critic of. He needs to open his eyes to the systematic disadvantage faced by Indigenous peoples and on the flip side the all-pervading advantage and privilege of Whites before we can actually take him seriously. Johns, you're one of those - lets bring back assimilation because we (the benevolent government and associated intellectual fringe-dwellers) have tried self-determination and it hasn't worked. I'm waiting for the article that provides an analytical and sophisticated framework for understanding the highs and lows of post-1967, please!

I think the only point of agreement with Johns is that the 1967 referendum result has not been front, centre and foremost with federal and state lawmakers since. Who can forget deputy PM Fischer talking 'bucketloads' of extinguishment on High Court native title rights post Wik. Incidently how do you get an application form for the Bennelong Society? Couldn't the Cadjagal people of Sydney Cove slap a prior patent or trade mark on such a local landmark?