What is your full name?
Elizabeth Burke
What is your postal code?
2640
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?
I think our Constitution needs to recognise A&TS people as our First Peoples. We also need to remove the enshrined racism in the current Constitution.
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?
The Discussion Paper describes the Constitution as "the legal and political foundation document of Australia". So I think its imperative that such a 'foundation document' should incorporate a statement that acknowledges the First Peoples of Australia
Should the word 'race' be taken out of the Constitution?
Yes
Do you have any other comments on powers to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
In my view, the work 'race' is racist in that it excludes specific mention of A&TS peoples. However the Discussion Paper describes the implications of merely deleting the word 'race' or replacing it. I believe the Constitution needs to be brought into the
Do you think that a guarantee against racial discrimination should go into the Constitution?
Yes
Should the guarantee protect all Australians against racial discrimination, or only Indigenous Australians?
All Australians
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?
I don't know
Should we delete section 25?
Yes
What would we achieve by getting rid of section 25?
Removing enshrined racism in our Constitution. Its a 19th Century document we're trying to use in the 21st Century.
Are you making a submission on behalf of a person (such as yourself) or organisation?
Individual