What is your full name?
Mark William Gerrett
What is your postal code?
4565
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?
If the constitution does not acknowledge the original inhabitants of this continent, then it is aligning itself to the legal fiction of terra nullius (already overturned) and will certainly come under scrutiny in the future. In fact, the constitution does
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?
Perhaps in the pre-amble? Or there should be a new section added to the constitution that acts as a bill of rights, and include it there.
What should the statement say?
The people of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island descent are acknowledged as the historical inhabitants of this continent for over one thousand generations. Their culture has been continuous and uninterrupted until the colonisation of the continent, cond
Do you have any other comments on a statement about the First Peoples of Australia?
The constitution needs to reflect that the colonisation of Australia came at the expense of the indigenous people, who were displaced and not compensated nor integrated into the colonising civilisation with any degree of fairness, decency or humanity, and
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?
I would assume that, having successfully survived without any European legislation for thousands of years, they will probably be better off making laws for themselves, or rather, holding onto laws that make sense in today's society (such as DO NOT STEAL a
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?
I think guarantees like this are not possible to legislate. What is possible? The access to education for all, and the type of developmental support for all children to grow into fair minded, generous and tolerant human beings. You can't stop people from
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?
Educate the population. Find the discrimination in the national laws and change them.
Do you have any other comments on changing the Constitution to stop racial discrimination?
The constitution cannot make people aware. The constitution SHOULD provide for the opportunity for ALL PEOPLE to have access to the kinds of EDUCATION that can bring about holistic awareness, as opposed to nationalism.
Do you think Indigenous people should have a say when Parliament and government make laws and policies about Indigenous affairs?
No
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?
Indigenous people - ANY people - should have a say when Parliamant and government make laws and policies that affect them. A 'New indigenous group' 'Set up under the constitution' would be either good or bad, depending on what exactly the constitution has
Should we delete section 25?
Yes
What would we achieve by getting rid of section 25?
Section 25 states that " if by the law of any State all persons of any race are disqualified from voting" I am not aware of any State law that disqualifies certain races from voting. If they exist, then they should be looked at.
Is there any point in keeping it?
No, what purpose does it really serve if no State law prevents any 'race' from voting?
Do you have any other comments?
God Bless your process.
Are you making a submission on behalf of a person (such as yourself) or organisation?
Individual