So NathanJ, your idea of reconciliation is doing things the aboriginals, or at least those who claim to speak for aboriginals, want.

Do the aboriginals have to do anything to reciprocate? Is there anything they need to reconcile to? Thought not.

So basically "reconciliation" is just another way of making ambit claims on the Australian polity. We call it 'reconciliation' because that sounds all warm and fuzzy. But it might be more accurately described as ransom....we'll keep calling you racist until you give us everything we want, into perpetuity.

We all know that's what reconciliation is really about

mhaze,

Read the link I gave. It gives examples of where
the laws have been used against our Indigenous
people.

The Australian Constiution currently contains
no protections against racial discrimination and
the parliament is capable of suspending existing
statutory protections. The protections under the
Racial Discrimination Act - the federal legislation
designed to ensure equality of treatment of all
people regardless of their race has been removed 3
times - each time it involved Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander people.

That's why Australia as a nation needs to recognise
our Indigenous people in the Constitution.

Read the link as to when the discriminatory provisions
in Australia have been used.

mhaze,

Why do come across as opposed to reconciliation? I'm open to all suggestions from everyone on the matter.

As I put it: "If there is to be reconciliation in Australia, people must be open to the idea in the first place." This applies to all people.

Secondly in terms of things I did put down, like changing the date, no-one can advocate for reconciliation and at the same time force a date change onto to the public.

Without having a majority on board, reconciliation is something one would not consider to have occurred at all, that being to force people into something they don't want as it is counterproductive and will achieve little.

I've pointed out history is not there for one to like or dislike and this also applies to all people. Learning from history is important. People today have also gained at other people's expense, so it is important to work hard to see things happen, both at a practical level (bridging the gap) and symbolic (changing the date).

Hi there MHAZE...

With respect, you're not entirely right. There are special legal procedures in place for indigenous folk when charged with a criminal offence. Whereas police abide by the 'Judges Rules' (9) for most of us in the community when attempting to discover the author of a crime.

Indigenous people have the normal protections of those same nine Judges Rules, but some additional rules are tacked on, called the Anunga (sic) Rules (8 in number?). Meaning when police are interviewing them in relation to the commission of a crime, they're allowed to sleep, have friends and an elder present, as well as counsel being present while being interviewed.

I can't remember them all, but they involve much more leniency when the police interview them. I was in the police force for 32 years, and I personally agree that all indigenous people must have those additional protections enshrined in police procedure. Some can neither read nor write and will say 'yes' to just about anything you ask them, usually because they don't understand you, afraid of the shame they bring their families, or out of genuine fear, if they deny your assertions?

I'm amazed how little most of us know about our
Indigenous people's history and the trials and
tribulations that they still have to live with.
I guess until we walk in someone else's shoes
our understanding is somewhat limited.

The whole idea of "A VOICE" is pointless, but may be useful for a time
if it has a sunset clause. In 100 years or a bit more there will be
no aboriginals.
There will just HAVE to be a DNA definition of what is an aboriginal.
How often do we see a black aboriginal on the TV ?
The ones that are vociferous aborigines are about the same colour as
Italians.
The whole thing is getting absurd and is getting more so every time a new on pops up.