Today Australia prides itself on being a place of fairness and equity for all its citizens. But the Australian Constitution still does not recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians as the first people of this land. Importantly, we now know that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures form part of the longest culture on Earth and evidence of their presence in Australia is now dated back over 60,000 years. It is only right that modern Australia should recognise and acknowledge Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and culture - past and present - in our Constitution to record their valued place as part of this country and our national identity. Most of the states - Victoria, Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia have already amended their Constitutions to formally recognise Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Australians as the first people and nations of their jurisdictions. …show more content…
5. Why should the body of the Constitution be changed? When it came into effect in 1901 the Australian Constitution contained several specific references that allowed governments to discriminate against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians. The most glaring discrimination occurred in: Section 51 of the Constitution that provided: “The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to:- ...(xxvi) The people of any race, other than the aboriginal people in any State, for whom it is necessary to make special laws. And Section 127 stated: 'In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a State or other part of the
Expressed within the US Constitution is Congress' authority to write laws, while the Executive Branch is firmly restricted to enacting the laws. However, in 200 years' time, Executive power has consistently enacted arbitrary laws, and governed with unconstitutional agencies and czars. Greg Abbott's proposed Constitutional amendments recalibrate federal power by banning the executive branch from writing laws. The history of executive overreach is long and illustrious.
After Clague’s contribution during the 1967 referendum, many ATSI peoples were more socially accepted due to the government recognising them as part of the population. The government accepting Aborigines as humans meant that they were politically acknowledged and able to be citizens of Australia, earning themselves passports and the ability to fly overseas. Before being politically accepted ATSI peoples weren’t allowed to be given passports if they identified as being Aboriginal (Australian Screen, 2017). Culturally speaking, after white settlement, almost all native land belonging to aboriginal peoples was ripped away from them, wounding connections between Aborigines and their ancestors. Joyce Clague’s rescue of ATSI people’s native lands, political acceptance toward Aborigines and social approval of being human all contributed largely to the livelihoods of ATSI
Formed in 1957, the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders commenced their campaign with a series of petitions displayed in Source 4 that called for a referendum. This had the effect of not only mobilising support for a change to the constitution but also of informing the public of the issues facing Aborigines. Over the course of the campaign, more than 100,000 signatures were collected and presented to the Parliament in 94 separate petitions (NMA, n.d.). This was a key factor in changing politicians’ minds and the government’s stance (Koori Mail, 2007). A key factor of the support of the referendum by non-indigenous Australians was the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders ‘Yes’ campaign.
As stated in the handout given in class, “The referendum provided a vehicle for change by empowering the Commonwealth to protectionism and assimilation.” Before the referendum, the States of Australia made laws which discriminated against and denied basic human rights such as being free to live where they wish, having access to education, receiving the same wages as non-Aboriginal people, etc. to Aboriginal people. The referendum did not guarantee such change — For the first five years after the referendum the Australian Government did not make any significant changes, as the referendum did not actually give the government full responsibility to make positive changes for Aboriginal people, it simply “opened the door for Australian Government involvement” as put by the Australian Constitution and 1967 Referendum Fact Sheet. The ongoing political commitment would be the only way to make sure the changes stayed in place; Something that fell short 50 years
Recently a controversy was being raised about changing the date of Australian Day, as it is considered the day when aboriginal lost their land and freedom. The issue is being discussed by the Yarra Council Mayor Cr Amanda Stone, who took the initiative to not only commemorate the British invasion of Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islanders land. Her main point in that article is to basically identify the Australian Day as a date which symbolizes loss of culture, language and the identity of ingenious people. This makes sense to us that the people affected by this issue are mainly Australian citizens (Aboriginals). Following this response, another article was published called, ‘Changing the date of Australian Day won’t change our past’ by Joe
The Australian constitution are written sets of rules that the country is controlled by. The Commonwealth of Australia was established on the first of January in 1901. It is a document which creates how the system of the parliament works and who has the right to make laws. The federal and state Parliaments have the power to construct laws that allow Australian citizens with their freedom of speech. The constitution is a necessary part of the nation as it represents the progress of the colonies turning into states.
With a 90.77 per cent voting for change, the referendum saw the highest “YES” vote ever recorded in a Federal referendum. The Constitution was changed, giving formal effect to the referendum result, by the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967 (Act No 55 of 1967), which received assent on 10 August 1967; allowing for Aboriginal people to obtain equal rights. Before 1967, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples did not have the equal rights as other Australians under the Australian
The colonial era, driven by the interests of the monarchy, brought immense suffering and injustice to our First Nations people. The stolen generations, the dispossession of land, and the suppression of Aboriginal cultures are painful chapters in our nation's history. By becoming a republic, we can distance ourselves from this dark past and symbolize a break from the oppressive systems that perpetuated inequality and discrimination. It is an opportunity for us to reevaluate our values as a nation and reaffirm our commitment to reconciliation, justice, and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. As a republic, we have the power to redefine our national identity in a way that is inclusive and acknowledges the true custodians of this land.
Australia Day is one of the most unique national day’s in the world throughout history, celebrating the day of when our ancestors first arrived on the borders of Australia, in 1788. Rather than unite people as one whole though, the spirited outcome of this event isn’t what as anticipated by everyone and has divided the Australian society for good. And so it should be held at an alternative date, where Australian citizens feel worthy of their identity and not cheated by it. However, the celebration shouldn’t be adapted to like that of other commemorations like ANZAC day. Essentially, this day will always be a tragic memory for the indigenous and be viewed as the invasion of their homeland.
An Australian Republic is about us — not the Queen, not Prince Charles or the world economy. We should do it now, without delay. As Nelson Mandela once said, “ For to be free is not merely to cast off one 's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Until we break our last Constitutional links to the mother country, our nationhood is incomplete. Now after just over 115 years of Federation, Australia must finally join the world of nations as a full equal, unshackled to any other nation.
But what about every other Australian? What about the Indigenous population and the multicultural population? Both of these groups which make up and help define who we are as Australians, so I ask you all this morning to consider why is it that we find these groups constantly being marginalised, discriminated against and not being offered equal opportunity? Ladies, gentlemen and prestigious guests, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to speak here
Since colonisation in 1788 Europeans believed the Aboriginal peoples to be a primitive race with no societal structures in place because their system did not resemble one that was recognizable or fit within it did not resemble a system that was recognizable by white settlers. National identity is believed to be a general concept that referred to a broad set of codes with a shared understanding within a nation, and the sense of belonging that is reinforced through myths, symbols, media activities, and everyday practices (Carter, 2006, p. 7; Van Krieken et al., 2017, pp. 234-244). Australia is now regarded as a diverse country with an identity that has evolved over time and will continue to do so. For Indigenous Australians to conform to this national identity, they had to assimilate and give up their values, beliefs, and cultural rights to become more like white Australia.
The way that society sees you should not depend on the colour of your skin. Even today, in the 21st century, people in our society judge other human beings by their colour or race. One of the main racism issues is the discrimination towards our Indigenous people. National data from the Challenging Racism Project reveals that 27% of Aboriginal people over the age of 15 experience racism more than once in their life. Racism towards Indigenous Australians includes mostly verbal abuse such as name-calling and insulting language.
The Constitution is an important part in protecting the basic human rights of Australian Citizens. Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. They are vital parts in protecting the physical, emotional and social wellbeing of everyday Australians. Whilst the Australian Constitution does not include a Bill of Rights stating these freedoms, several rights have been implied from the text and structure of the Constitution. The Constitution has had a huge impact on the way we live, awarding us rights and freedoms that include the right to vote, be educated and choose our religion .These
Abstract Being an aborigine in a white dominated society is a complicated identity. Australia, one of the white governed nations, also owns many aboriginal tribes. They lived harmonious lives in the early period. But European colonization has made a profound effect on the lives of Aboriginals in Australia, which led to the total demolition of their native culture, identity and history. As a result the new generation Aboriginals have lost their Aboriginal heritage and have been accepted neither by Aboriginals nor by whites.