Implicit in Malcolm Turnbull’s and Bill Shorten’s arguments that an Indigenous ‘voice to parliament’ would be a big change is the notion that it may be too difficult.
Articles on Treaty
Displaying 41 - 52 of 52 articles
Treaties have to be the foundation for constitutional recognition, not the reverse.
At the same time as it’s become clear that Indigenous people won’t accept a limited change, the right in Australian politics has become more determined to oppose any amendment.
Indigenous Australians have issued a statement calling for constitutional reform that is substantive and meaningful.
Guaranteed representation reduces the distance between policymakers and the people for whom policy is made.
No treaty between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians has ever been recognised, but developments at the state level suggest this may soon change.
In early December, the nations of the world are poised to take an historic step on nuclear weapons. Yet Australia sticks out like a sore thumb among Asia-Pacific nations in arguing against change.
The ABC has missed a rare opportunity to deeply engage with the diversity of views among Indigenous Australians about whether and how they should be ‘recognised’ in the Constitution.
Next week, Australians will look back at one the most significant moments in the struggle for Indigenous rights.
The longer the process of recognising Indigenous Australians in the Constitution goes on, the more debate is likely to split and fracture.
If we are to have a mature and sensible debate on Indigenous recognition, we must be more willing to embrace difficult issues and diverse perspectives.
Would debate about a treaty with the First Australians endanger the success of the proposed referendum for their constitutional recognition – as Malcolm Turnbull claims? Very likely. But it can’t be avoided…
Top contributors
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Associate Professor, UNSW
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Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
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Adjunct Professor, Stout Research Centre, Victoria University of Wellington and Auckland University of Technology, Professor of Political Science, Charles Sturt University
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Lecturer, Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney
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Senior Lecturer of Indigenous Studies, Indigenous Education and Research Centre, James Cook University
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Associate Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice, UNSW
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Professor, Australian and Aboriginal History, Faculty of Arts, Design and Architecture, Convenor: Indigenous Land & Justice Research Group, UNSW
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Canada Research Chair in Economy and Environment, Queen's University, Ontario
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Commissioner at Yoo-rrook Justice Commission, Indigenous Knowledge
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Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, University of Sydney
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Law Lecturer and Researcher at the Boston University Global Development Policy Center, Boston University
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Senior research fellow, University of Technology Sydney
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Lecturer, Griffith Law School, Griffith University
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Chairperson, Batchelor Institute of Indigenous Tertiary Education
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Senior Lecturer, The University of Melbourne