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Indigenous recognition will help redress discrimination, says Nova Peris Indigenous recognition will help redress discrimination, says Nova Peris
(35 minutes later)
Recognition in the country’s founding document will go some way to redressing the racial discrimination Indigenous Australians “live, eat and breathe”, Labor senator Nova Peris has said.Recognition in the country’s founding document will go some way to redressing the racial discrimination Indigenous Australians “live, eat and breathe”, Labor senator Nova Peris has said.
A bipartisan parliamentary committee looking into constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders issued its final report on the matter on Thursday. The report will form the basis of Australia’s next referendum question.A bipartisan parliamentary committee looking into constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders issued its final report on the matter on Thursday. The report will form the basis of Australia’s next referendum question.
The committee unanimously backed all the recommendations, with no dissenting report presented.The committee unanimously backed all the recommendations, with no dissenting report presented.
Related: Bipartisan report calls for recognition of Indigenous Australians in constitutionRelated: Bipartisan report calls for recognition of Indigenous Australians in constitution
One key recommendation was the removal of racially discriminating provisions in section 25 of the constitution, and the reworking of another section, 51 (xxvi).One key recommendation was the removal of racially discriminating provisions in section 25 of the constitution, and the reworking of another section, 51 (xxvi).
Peris, one of just three federal politicians of Indigenous heritage, welcomed the proposal to scrap the clauses.Peris, one of just three federal politicians of Indigenous heritage, welcomed the proposal to scrap the clauses.
“I have a lived experience of being discriminated against. My family, members of the stolen generation, have been discriminated [against],” she told reporters.“I have a lived experience of being discriminated against. My family, members of the stolen generation, have been discriminated [against],” she told reporters.
“We live, eat and breathe discrimination every single day, and until we walk in the shoes of someone who’s lived that, you’ll never know how much it hurts.”“We live, eat and breathe discrimination every single day, and until we walk in the shoes of someone who’s lived that, you’ll never know how much it hurts.”
But she warned that symbolic change, such as the proposal by Noel Pearson to create an Indigenous advisory body, was not enough on its own.But she warned that symbolic change, such as the proposal by Noel Pearson to create an Indigenous advisory body, was not enough on its own.
“We’re talking about a document that makes laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for this country, and those laws need to change because all its done previously is discriminate against Aboriginal people,” Peris said. “There’s two histories of this country, a black and white history. And what we’re trying to do is unify those two histories so we can have a better history for all Australians.”“We’re talking about a document that makes laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and for this country, and those laws need to change because all its done previously is discriminate against Aboriginal people,” Peris said. “There’s two histories of this country, a black and white history. And what we’re trying to do is unify those two histories so we can have a better history for all Australians.”
The committee chairman, Liberal backbencher Ken Wyatt, urged Pearson to move on from his proposal. The committee chairman, Liberal backbencher Ken Wyatt, said all options were on the table for discussion.
“If I was Noel, I would not cease that work around the concept,” he told ABC TV, but said the committee backed “actual recognition within the constitution”.“If I was Noel, I would not cease that work around the concept,” he told ABC TV, but said the committee backed “actual recognition within the constitution”.
The recommendations do not rule out the possibility of symbolic change.The recommendations do not rule out the possibility of symbolic change.
“It’s not an either/or. It doesn’t say Mr Pearson’s Indigenous advisory body is excluded. It’s something that can be looked at,” Labor’s Indigenous affairs spokesman, Shayne Neumann, said.“It’s not an either/or. It doesn’t say Mr Pearson’s Indigenous advisory body is excluded. It’s something that can be looked at,” Labor’s Indigenous affairs spokesman, Shayne Neumann, said.
Wyatt defended the decision not to recommend the wording of the referendum question, saying that doing so would not provide flexibility.Wyatt defended the decision not to recommend the wording of the referendum question, saying that doing so would not provide flexibility.
Fellow Coalition committee member Bridget McKenzie told the Senate: “We do not want to put forward a question to the Australian people that would not succeed.”Fellow Coalition committee member Bridget McKenzie told the Senate: “We do not want to put forward a question to the Australian people that would not succeed.”
The committee also backed away from nominating a date for a possible referendum, which Tony Abbott had flagged for 2017, the 50th anniversary of Indigenous people being counted in the census.The committee also backed away from nominating a date for a possible referendum, which Tony Abbott had flagged for 2017, the 50th anniversary of Indigenous people being counted in the census.
The prime minister and the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, will discuss constitutional reform with Indigenous leaders at a summit in Sydney next month.The prime minister and the opposition leader, Bill Shorten, will discuss constitutional reform with Indigenous leaders at a summit in Sydney next month.