Boy the heat is on the current Federal Government over indigenous affairs. The PM is clawing back from a poor report on closing the gap and indicating to we the great unwashed that more has been achieved recently.
Bill Shorten the leader of the opposition is applying pressure by offering to be bipartisan on indigenous affairs but indicating that a Labor government would not wait around if this is not forthcoming. He is offering that a Labor Government would give serious consideration to the Uluru recommendation of a representative aboriginal body to advise parliament. Further they would consider compensation for the wrings of the past.
The next federal election is not that far off and any party that does not have in its platform serious policies on indigenous affairs is going to be in trouble.
Roll on a republic where we can start afresh and be as one people in the Republic of Australia.
Is a new and huge petition needed?
May the Force be with us for achieving true reconciliation!
GD
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
Thursday, February 8, 2018
I feel a petition coming on!
The Australian Federal Government has just received a very poor report card about 'closing the gap' such that indigenous Aussies are not disadvantaged.
Here are some paragraphs from previous post on this blog:
"From the recent Uluru gathering came the recommendation that as part of constitutional recognition of indigenous Aussies the practical way forward was to create an indigenous advisory body that the federal parliament calls upon when making legislation about indigenous affairs. They would be like honorary members of the parliament with a very special role. Some might even be members of parliament.
I am not one for self praise but I was thrilled when this recommendation was made as about two years ago I wrote a long letter to the relevant politicians suggesting that representatives from the various Aboriginal nations be elected to create such a body. The indigenous communities across Australia are not one body but a set of tribes or nations each needing its own voice close to the legislating politicians. This way the politicians hear the message from the grass roots and create ways forward that are not 'one size fits all'. There are some wonderful Aboriginal leaders out there some of whom work in their local communities, some of whom work in wider society as doctors, lawyers and elected politicians. I regard some of these great leaders as akin to the Philosopher Kings that Plato espoused.
We know that the Uluru recommendation for a top Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body to advise the federal parliament is not accepted at this stage. The federal government is making a grave error in not accepting this recommendation. Such a body could comprise leaders from the various indigenous nations within Australia and feed grassroots concerns direct to the federal government. Thus we would have the potential for informed change from the ground up, not the top down with politicians far removed from the real local issues calling the shots. Will we ever learn?"
*****************************
I wrote this stuff but received no comments which is not unexpected as everyone has had a gutfull of the bungling of the Federal Government. Even today it was reported that Malcolm Turnbull our PM couldn't even stay for the full meeting where I think the report card was being discussed. Senator Pat Dodson was outraged at what he saw as a snub by the PM. The excuse was a prior appointment. Not good enough PM.
I hope for comments to support this post but am going to follow up how to get a petition going. It's time, in fact it's past time for a major concerted and sustained outcry as the next election approaches rapidly.
May the Force be with you!
GD
Here are some paragraphs from previous post on this blog:
"From the recent Uluru gathering came the recommendation that as part of constitutional recognition of indigenous Aussies the practical way forward was to create an indigenous advisory body that the federal parliament calls upon when making legislation about indigenous affairs. They would be like honorary members of the parliament with a very special role. Some might even be members of parliament.
I am not one for self praise but I was thrilled when this recommendation was made as about two years ago I wrote a long letter to the relevant politicians suggesting that representatives from the various Aboriginal nations be elected to create such a body. The indigenous communities across Australia are not one body but a set of tribes or nations each needing its own voice close to the legislating politicians. This way the politicians hear the message from the grass roots and create ways forward that are not 'one size fits all'. There are some wonderful Aboriginal leaders out there some of whom work in their local communities, some of whom work in wider society as doctors, lawyers and elected politicians. I regard some of these great leaders as akin to the Philosopher Kings that Plato espoused.
We know that the Uluru recommendation for a top Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander body to advise the federal parliament is not accepted at this stage. The federal government is making a grave error in not accepting this recommendation. Such a body could comprise leaders from the various indigenous nations within Australia and feed grassroots concerns direct to the federal government. Thus we would have the potential for informed change from the ground up, not the top down with politicians far removed from the real local issues calling the shots. Will we ever learn?"
*****************************
I wrote this stuff but received no comments which is not unexpected as everyone has had a gutfull of the bungling of the Federal Government. Even today it was reported that Malcolm Turnbull our PM couldn't even stay for the full meeting where I think the report card was being discussed. Senator Pat Dodson was outraged at what he saw as a snub by the PM. The excuse was a prior appointment. Not good enough PM.
I hope for comments to support this post but am going to follow up how to get a petition going. It's time, in fact it's past time for a major concerted and sustained outcry as the next election approaches rapidly.
May the Force be with you!
GD
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