What is your full name?
George Ganas
What is your postal code?
3145
Do you support recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by changing the Constitution or making some other kind of legal change?
No
Should we have a statement that acknowledges the First Peoples of Australia?
Yes. This should be in the Constitution.
Where is the best place to put it?
In the constitution
What should the statement say?
An acknowledgement that the First Peoples of Australia are the oldest civilisation on Earth. It should emphasise the importance of the land to the First Peoples of Australia. It would be wonderful if our nation could recognise that Australia is a black na
Do you have any other comments on a statement about the First Peoples of Australia?
I also believe that our nation needs to transition its symbols away from Great Britain to Australia, i.e. our flag, national anthem. It would be fitting that these symbols be Aboriginal Australian. Our nation needs to have its own identity, not that of a
Should the word 'race' be taken out of the Constitution?
No
Should the Australian Parliament keep the power to make special laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
No
Do you have any other comments on powers to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
Let these laws come from the bottom up, and be the work of First Nations People. There were laws in Australia prior to 1788, we non-Aboriginals should acknowledge this.
Do you think that a guarantee against racial discrimination should go into the Constitution?
Yes
Do you have any ideas about what words to use for that guarantee, or where in the Constitution to put it?
After the preamble. People who oppose this, are the ones who have little understanding of being discriminated and oppressed. Aboriginal & Torres Strait People nave suffered too long, time for legal & constitutional protections.
Should the guarantee protect all Australians against racial discrimination, or only Indigenous Australians?
All Australians
If there is not enough support for a guarantee in the Constitution, what other things can we do to stop racial discrimination in national laws?
Major education programs, use all forms of media to illuminate people. Why not show the dominant social groups what it would be like if they were a minority and discriminated
Do you have any other comments on changing the Constitution to stop racial discrimination?
In terms of Indigenous people, let us who are known indigenous, close our mouths, open our ears and hearts and listen, we might leave with a level of enlightenment to help us empathise with our Aboriginal & Torres Strait brothers & sisters.
Do you think Indigenous people should have a say when Parliament and government make laws and policies about Indigenous affairs?
Yes
Should a new Indigenous group be set up under the Constitution to give advice and make sure Indigenous people have a voice in political decisions that affect them?
Yes
Is it worth creating the new group if it can only give advice and does not have the power to block new laws?
No
Do you have any ideas about what the new group would look like?
From all walks of life in the First Nations Communities.
Do you have any other comments on this Indigenous group?
Let us ensure that it has real power, not just a puppet group for the government of the day.
Should we delete section 25?
No
Is there any point in keeping it?
Yes, it hasn't hurt our democracy, no matter what these right wing groups say.
Do you have any other comments?
Let's us keep moving forward to create an Australia which we can all be proud of. My parents were immigrants, and it is the generosity of Aboriginal people to accept all of us in their country.
Are you making a submission on behalf of a person (such as yourself) or organisation?
Individual