What is your full name?
Margaret Keane
What is your postal code?
6152
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?
A positive statement of acknowledgement
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 introduction
What should the statement say?
Aboriginal People were the First Owners of this country. They have lived here for more than 50,000 years.
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?
No
Do you have any other comments on powers to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
There could be laws to protect the rights of Aboriginal People. These should be made in consultation with Aboriginal People
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?
That guarantee would apply to all the races that make up Australia. It would be an article, not in the introduction
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?
A human rights bill may be appropriate
Do you have any other comments on changing the Constitution to stop racial discrimination?
The change in the Constitution is more a backdrop to other policies, a positive statement. Policies derive from the main principle
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?
I don't know
Do you have any other comments on this Indigenous group?
It may be too practical to set up a new Indigenous group. Maybe there will be a sufficient number of Indigenous people in the Parliament to represent their people. At appropriate times consultation groups could be set up
Should we delete section 25?
Yes
What would we achieve by getting rid of section 25?
That would be racial discrimination
Is there any point in keeping it?
No
Do you have any other comments?
It is time to recognise our First Peoples and to acknowledge the history of taking over the country and the very harsh and inhumane treatment meted to the First Peoples
Are you making a submission on behalf of a person (such as yourself) or organisation?
Individual