Discussion paper response

Anton Provan
What is your full name?
Anton Provan
What is your postal code?
3046
Do you support recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by changing the Constitution or making some other kind of legal change?
Yes
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?
This acknowledgement should be included at the beginning of the Australian Constitution, Australia's most important legal and political foundation document.
What should the statement say?
The nation known as Australia - the continent, its islands and its waters - has been occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples for tens of thousands of years. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' cultures, languages and heritage
Do you have any other comments on a statement about the First Peoples of Australia?
Whilst Constitutional change may not bring direct positive improvements to the lives of those indigenous Australians who are living diminished lives, Constitutional change, and in particular the Statement of Acknowledgement, is important symbolic change.
Should the word 'race' be taken out of the Constitution?
Yes
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?
See "other comments"
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 have any other comments on changing the Constitution to stop racial discrimination?
Race is an archaic construct; all explicit references to race should be removed from the Constitution. I am not familiar enough with the Constitution to know all the places within the document where the word “race” is explicitly used, (or for that matter
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?
See "other comments"
Should we delete section 25?
Yes
What would we achieve by getting rid of section 25?
It is an important symbollic step that demonstrates our committment to removing all references to race - an archaic construct - from the Constitution.
Is there any point in keeping it?
Not that I'm aware of.
Do you have any other comments?
I am not as familiar with the issues surrounding the power of the Australian Parliament to make specific laws for Indigenous peoples, and, there being a stronger Indigenous voice when Parliament and government make laws and policies about Indigenous affai
Are you making a submission on behalf of a person (such as yourself) or organisation?
Individual