What is your full name?
David Thomas Wise
What is your postal code?
None
Do you support recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by changing the Constitution or making some other kind of legal change?
Yes
What should the change look like?
Treaty and constitutional recognition
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?
Constitution
What should the statement say?
It should say what the First Peoples want it to say, provided that it practically achievable given the mood of the electorate.
Do you have any other comments on a statement about the First Peoples of Australia?
It's overdue.
Should the word 'race' be taken out of the Constitution?
I don't know
Should the Australian Parliament keep the power to make special laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
I don't know
Do you have any other comments on powers to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
I don't have a problem with positive discrimination, provided it is guided by what our Indigenous people want.
Do you think that a guarantee against racial discrimination should go into the Constitution?
I don't know
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?
Robust national laws, with penalties based around mandatory education.
Do you have any other comments on changing the Constitution to stop racial discrimination?
Concerned that this could unnecessarily complicate the basic goal of constitutional recognition.
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?
Yes
Do you have any ideas about what the new group would look like?
The nature of the group should be decided by the Indigenous groups
Do you have any other comments on this Indigenous group?
Our Indigenous people need a level of self-determination.
Should we delete section 25?
No
What would we achieve by getting rid of section 25?
Nothing. It would just be an unnecessary complication to constitutional recognition
Is there any point in keeping it?
No. But it no longer does any harm
Are you making a submission on behalf of a person (such as yourself) or organisation?
Individual