What is your full name?
Sally Jones
What is your postal code?
2000
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 treaty recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and then constitutional reform.
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 preamble
What should the statement say?
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the First Peoples of Australia with strong culture, stories, languages and knowledge of this country. The Government recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are the sovereign owners o
Do you have any other comments on a statement about the First Peoples of Australia?
Consider the wording from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples which the Australian Government has endorsed.
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?
Yes
Do you have any ideas on what new words could be used to describe that power, or where in the Constitution to put the power?
Take the wording from the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Convention against Racial Discrimination which we have ratified and endorsed.
Do you have any other comments on powers to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?
Laws against freedom of speech that directly and indirectly abuse, intimidate, harass Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
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?
Article 2 of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
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?
Endorsement of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in national and State laws
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?
Community elected members, national representation including the Torres Strait Islands
Do you have any other comments on this Indigenous group?
Not elected by Government and more transparency over what the group actually looks like, more community engagement across all language groups including the Torres Strait Islands
Should we delete section 25?
Yes
What would we achieve by getting rid of section 25?
Getting rid of an arbitrary law that could be used detrimentally to discriminate against certain races
Is there any point in keeping it?
No
Do you have any other comments?
More community engagement on these issues and more power given to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
Are you making a submission on behalf of a person (such as yourself) or organisation?
Individual