Dear Pete,

Talking about land-rights?

You might find the following link interesting:

http://www.australianstogether.org.au/discover/australia-history/protection/

cont'd ...

Dear Pete,

I'll try again. Sorry for the typo.

http://www.australianstogether.org.au/discover/australian-history/protection/

Hi Planty,

Me thinks its better to keep Australia's casinos in the hands of the big business types. In that way they can operate a more efficient money laundering systems for the gangsters, than placing the whole thing in the hands of aboriginals. Better still, if all the casinos were simply transferred to the Mafia, then that could cut out the middle men altogether, a real cost saving for the Godfather and the boys. With Covid-19 reeking havoc across business, I ask where had been the taxpayer bailout for organised crime? Coffee shops got millions, drug dealers got nothing, hardly fair don't you think?

"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."

Do come off the ratbag left stuff Foxy. Any such body would speak for the average aboriginal as the ratbag Greens speak for me, & any other reasoning Australian.

Dear Foxy and Paul1405

There is a track record or precedent for a "Special" Black body - the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) (1990–2005).

ATSIC was the Australian Government body through which Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders were formally involved in the processes of government affecting their lives.

ATSIC was established, with the best of intentions, by the Hawke government in 1990. A number of Indigenous programs and organisations fell under the overall umbrella of ATSIC.

However, ATSIC "was dismantled in 2004 in the aftermath of corruption allegations [INCLUDING BUYING POKER MACHINES WITH FEDERAL MONEY EARMARKED FOR BLACK WELFARE] and litigation involving its chairperson, Geoff Clark." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_and_Torres_Strait_Islander_Commission

Whats more Foxy:

In 2001, ATSIC became embroiled in controversy over litigation surrounding its chairperson Geoff Clark, relating to his alleged participation in a number of [PACK] RAPES

in the 1970s and 1980s, after being named by four women.[4]

ATSIC was also investigated for corruption, and the embezzlement of funds intended for service delivery to help Aboriginal peoples."

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aboriginal_and_Torres_Strait_Islander_Commission#Corruption_investigations

The 4 women concerned were torn between being loyal supporters of ATSICs noble black mission and allegedly being pack raped by the male dominated Aboriginal leadership.

Fortunately for the alleged pack rapists the silence of these women was ultimately forced along "aren't you women loyal to our black cause?" lines.

NOW JUST IMAGINE IF ATSIC HAD BEEN HELD ABOVE ORDINARY LAW (HENCE COULD NOT BE ABOLISHED) AFTER BEING ENSHRINED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION?!

Hi Pete,

ATSIC was limited because it was modelled on White
governance and only allowed relatively few Indigenous
people on the electoral roll to vote. Consequently the
vote turn out for ATSIC was around 30%. Ultimately the
Coalition dissolved ATSIC because it viewed mainstream
service delivery to be more effective and consistent
with its ideological view of integration.

The Coalition replaced ATSIC with the National Indigenous
Council ( NIC) a group of 12 Indigenous advisers who
it hand-picked. NIC was publicly denounced
for its non representative nature and minimal impact on
Indigenous policy and little engagement with Indigenous
communities. Another example of "window dressing" to
hide the government's lack of action.