Should Indigenous Australians be recognised in the Constitution 'as first occupiers'?

19 Jan 2012
150 Comments
Share This
+ Comment
150
Labor has promised to hold a national referendum on the constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians before or at the next federal election. (AAP)

Labor has promised to hold a national referendum on the constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians before or at the next federal election. (AAP)

Indigenous Australians should be recognised in the body of the Constitution and racist sections should be scrapped, an expert panel advising the government has recommended.

The panel recommended inserting a new section (51A) to recognise that "the continent and its islands now known as Australia were first occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people." The new section would also acknowledge the continuing relationship of indigenous people with their traditional lands and waters. The expert panel also called for new section (116A) to prohibit racial discrimination. What do you think? Would such a move make a difference?

RELATED

  • Follow us: 
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Twitter
  • Follow us on Youtube

Join the Discussion

Name
City / Suburb E.g. Artarmon, Sydney
Title
Comment
You have characters remaining.
Validation
What's this?
This is a captcha-picture. It is used to prevent mass-access by robots.
All submitted comments become the property of SBS. They are moderated, so we reserve the right to edit comments and remove HTML tags. Not all submitted comments will be published. Publication does not mean we endorse the opinions expressed. Please read our terms and conditions for more information.

Your Comments

Display: 20 | 40 | All comments per page
Previous 10 | Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Next 10

Wrongly Based

Peter Martin - from Shepparton, 3 months ago

If the current day aboriginal was truely the first occupier then I see no problem, except it divides the nation. Regretfully they were not and are imigrants from Asia via New Guinea and the Indonesian achipelago some 200 years before the 1st fleet. They like the Maori, they allianated the original inhabitants which was exascerbated by the arrival of the white setlers. Thursday Island is a seperate issue and relates to the pacific islanders bought in for the sugar industry. We need a lttle truth

whats a date of occupation got to do with human rights

ken - from south melb, 3 months ago

Let them be recognised as 'pre colonial occupiers' (because the forebears of current mainland Aborigines pushed the 'first' tribes into Tasmania). Then spell out in Const'n that the rights of individual Aust. citizens are not based on a date of occupation. Human rights are more fundamental. If you are human you are equal, its that simple... accept it. Dont expect more rights than the non-indigenous community.

potentially divisive reconcilliation

Elija - from Falls Creek, 3 months ago

The problem with this issue is not so much the gesture but rather the implications attached to it and the expectations of these so called (first occupiers) in relation to other occupiers.

Was the land occupied?

Clavdivs - from Sydney, 3 months ago

A question not addressed is the fact that aboriginals were nomads. Nomads found it impossible to claim land even in Europe. When the invaders came to Australia it was more difficult to perceive that land was occupied by wanderers that came and went. Nomads and hunter gatherers always clashed with farmer settlers even of the same race. Settlers never recognise ownership of "unoccupied" land.

@08 Feb 2012 8:53 AEST Advocate From: Woden

Bak`Ho Wai - from Indonesia, 3 months ago

Australian Constitution is Invalid. It is whole Existence is Invalid , One cannot claim someone else s land or Country while they are telling the whole world as their inheritance, for 40,000 years Theirs by just making or copying (British) and then imposing. Such Constitution is a farce and of course the flag also. We all neighboring countries accept Original Aboriginal owners as genuine Australians.

yes , Truth wont go away in Million Years

Jack - from Sydney, 4 months ago

Yes They are

unfair to refugees

Advocate - from Woden, 4 months ago

Does that imply that refugees should be written into Australia's Constitution as last arrivals ?

More about dollars and picking the next fight to justify a lifetime career of strident failure.

Paul - from Darwin, 4 months ago

Cos if you pick a thing that is unlikely to be granted or unable to be achieved for generations (ie close the gap) you can grasp that victim status to your breast and milk the guilt money. Yes it was an invasion. It happened. Seriously, get over it. I mean, was the stone age that much fun? And John of Sydney - your comment of why can't they have part of their land back is comical. Looked at a map of the country lately? What do you think funds the royalty gravy train? Oh, dunno 'bout that I guess

a question of perspective

Jessica Allandro - from Milton, 4 months ago

It was heartening to hear so many accepted leaders of various Aboriginal groups distance themselves from the rabble that attempted to disrupt the solemn awards ceremony honouring emergency workers last week in Canberra. Those emergency workers pay no heed to race or skin colour as they go about their demanding work in often life-thretening circumstances. Participants in that protest are anchored in the sorry past by those seeking to exploit their "victim status".

Mik Dundee ??

Me Dun De - from Sydney, 4 months ago

Says anything when you pay him. Thatch why the ATO was after him.

Display: 20 | 40 | All comments per page
Previous 10 | Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | Next 10