Hi Planty,

I see it as a long stretch that asking for recognition and a voice is in someway demanding authority over all matters, eg will Australia buy a new battle ship, oh no, the aboriginal chamber has voted it down 564 votes to 498! Not realistic.

What we have to do as a nation is recognise that this land was occupied by a people before our arrival and those people had sovereignty over the land, and we stole it. In a practical sense that cannot, and should not be reversed. I support a recognition treaty that is acceptable to all sides, and I support an aboriginal voice in the affairs of the nation. I'm not going to the extreme of saying aboriginal people should have dominance over the rest in the affairs of the nation, as 3% of the population that is unreasonable, and after all we are all Australians. How best to achieve that "say" is debatable, to not do so is to leave an open sore. One suggestion is for aboriginal seats in parliament, voted on by aboriginal people themselves, given their percentage of the population 5 seats would not be unreasonable. What is your thoughts? Probably not acceptable to the majority.

More pressing is the disparity suffered by aboriginals in our society caused firstly by colonialism, and then by direct racism. "Closing The Gap" are real issues, real targets, that have to be addressed and then true equality is achievable.

What a life Hassy,

Beach bum, petrol head, slack ocean cruising...then government welfare. Now at 85 you are dead against beach bums, petrol heads and ocean slackarses getting government welfare. Nice one.

Foxy, it is a pity you do not understand the Middle East.

"The Middle East needs peace, not instability, war,
enmity, inequality, and most importantly - double
standards. Without security and peace, democracy
and respect for human rights will be marginalized."

I assume you attended the Palestinian protests chanting, "from the river to the sea Palestine will be free." - Free of Israel driven into the sea. You assume the Iranian support of Gaza is fighting for peace and democracy.

Dear Josephus,

I have difficulty walking as a result of several
falls and operations so taking part in any protests
is not something I could easily
do.

As for the Middle East?

I am beginning to see that to try to explain away an
irrational supposition, especially when it is firmly held
by its proponents with rational explanations is
virtually impossible.

Dear Pete,

The Australian Constitution was the founding political
and legal document of our nation.

It under pins our federal laws and system of government.
Written over a century ago it was shaped by the values
and beliefs of the time. Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander people are still not recognised in the
Australian Constitution as Australia's First Peoples.
This has to change.

I believe that recognising our First Nations people in
the Constitution would simply right a wrong.

An advisory body would sit separately to Parliament. It
would offer a way to include Indigenous Australians
cultural authority in matters of law that affect them
and constitutionally guarantee them a say in their own
affairs.

There would be a Commission that would oversee the
agreement between the Australian government and the
Indigenous people. Everything would be done correctly
by mutual agreement on both sides.

We also need to amend Sections 25 and 51 (xxvi) of the
Constitution - for its racist powers.

Paulo 4

Your trust in those mainly WHITE blood First Nation politicians is charming yet naive.

Land rights can/will be monetised.

Like "Native Americans" opening casinos on Indian Reservations.

Check this out Muchacho:

"Native American gambling comprises casinos, bingo halls, and other gambling operations on Indian reservations or other tribal lands in the United States.

Because these areas have tribal sovereignty, states have Limited ability to forbid gambling [on these Reservations].

As of 2011, there were 460 gambling operations run by 240 tribes, with a total annual revenue of $27 billion." see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_gaming

Land rights loopholes could/will be exploited by many of our First Nation politicians - many/most of whom have more WHITE blood than Aboriginal.

cont'd ...

Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of
Sydney, Anne Twomey says that:

"Constitutional recognition would herald the most
change because the idea is to create a body that
has gravitas and authority to speak for Indigenous
people."

"It would have political force and authority and moral
standing. If we create a body that is sufficiently
respected it would be a rare government that would
ignore its advice."

" The fact that it's created by the Constitution - the fact
advice will be tabled in government and is to be
considered in debate starts it off well."