Hi AC,

You've got a great big heart and care about people.
I'm sure that if and when the time comes - you will do
what your conscience dictates. That's all any of us can do.
Papa used to say - "Go with your gut."

In the meantime, here's a link worth reading:

http://abc.net.au/news/2022-09-18/queen-death-indigenous-australia-colonisation-empire/101445508

I don't think enough attention is being paid to this topic.
The more I think about it, the more I realise its importance.
One needs to be clear about basics.
Just who is claiming what?
And, what is the basis for their claim

Hi IF,

Here's a link that may help:

http://fromtheheart.com.au/what-is-a-voice-to-parliament/

A belated comment.
Thank you Foxy.
I did read the article.
I think the government can do all those things now if it needs to.
Why it would need constitutional change to pursue discussion with a minor group?
What is so special or different about that group anyway?
We are all citizens, with equal rights.
Because some don't avail themselves of those rights doesn't mean they are not there.
Because a few agitate, and don't wish to comply with standards set by laws, doesn't mean they have a right to special consideration.

I remember, when I was young, meeting a family from overseas.
The father insisted his family learn and speak only English.
He told his children: 'we are Australians now, and must do all we can to blend in, and contribute to our new country'.
I wish a few more people would do the same.
It so impressed me, that I remember them quite clearly.
That was the approach which should have been taken by the aboriginal community when it lost control of the land a long time ago.
And they should have passed that attitude to subsequent generations.
Did they do that?
If not, is that why we have all this unnecessary squabbling in the community?

Hey Ipso Fatso,
Saying that aboriginals should've assimilated into the British language, is the opposite of saying that immigrants should come here should learn English.

By your example of foreigners coming here should learn the language.
- The british who came here should've learned aboriginal.

Your argument is that if Syrians or Ukrainians come here we should learn to speak Syrian and Ukrainian?

That aboriginals should give up their culture and history to fit in with the ones who arrived to subjugate them?

This whole discussion has not satisfactorily answered my question;
What is an aborigine ?
Foxy's earlier answer; whoever says he is and is accepted as such
has as much validity as any ones affirmation.
It will go nowhere in the High Court.

I simply do not believe their culture is as it was 60k years ago !
How could they possible know ? Firstly they had no written language.
So it is all "Uncle's" stories !
After five generations they would be unrecognisable.
Let alone 20,000 generations.
That part of the story is plain nonsense.
I would bet it has changed dramatically in the last 200 years.

If a vote is required to get on the Voice thing, how long before
one candidate challenges another on whether he is an aborigine ?
Gravy trains run often !