Abbott's Aboriginal referendum

[Rorschach]

Early British settlement 'all bad' for indigenous Australians: Tony Abbott
Date September 23, 2014 - 1:47PM
Lisa Cox
National political reporter

The arrival of British settlers in Australia was "all bad" for indigenous Australians, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declared, as the federal government prepares to set the timeline for a referendum on indigenous recognition in the constitution.

Mr Abbott has told British newspaper The Telegraph that "we have not entirely come to terms with this side of the Australian reality" and that recognising Aboriginal people in the constitution would address a "discomfort in our national character".

The Prime Minister made the comments during his visit to Arnhem Land last week, which was to make good on an election commitment to spend at least one week a year in a remote community. His visit was cut short after counter-terrorism raids in Sydney and Brisbane.

He told the newspaper that the arrival of British settlers was devastating for Aborigines.

"Initially the impact [of British settlement] was all bad - disease, dispossession, discrimination, at times wanton murder," he said.

"While justice was colour-blind, there was still the enormous discrimination. There was not a lot of official respect in the early days. There was even less popular respect."

The language is the strongest heard from Mr Abbott in advocating for constitutional recognition.

Last week, Mr Abbott said the 2016 federal election was not an appropriate time to hold a referendum because constitutional recognition should be a bipartisan measure that could suffer if held during a partisan campaign.

Instead, 2017 is shaping up as the most likely option.

"This is, I think, an appropriate way of saying to Aboriginal people, you should be and are first class citizens of your own country," Mr Abbott told The Telegraph.

"Indigenous people's concerns every so often should be front and centre in the minds of our national leaders because they are, after all, the first Australians.

"They were, to our discredit, ignored and at times mistreated for much of the first couple of centuries of our national existence."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/ ... z3E95chOLy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't ya just love it when people lose their minds and rewrite history.

Personally I'll be voting NO. based on what I know so far.
Aborignes are already catered for in the Constitution... they're called Australians.

[Neferti]

Early British settlement 'all bad' for indigenous Australians: Tony Abbott
Date September 23, 2014 - 1:47PM
Lisa Cox
National political reporter

The arrival of British settlers in Australia was "all bad" for indigenous Australians, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has declared, as the federal government prepares to set the timeline for a referendum on indigenous recognition in the constitution.

Mr Abbott has told British newspaper The Telegraph that "we have not entirely come to terms with this side of the Australian reality" and that recognising Aboriginal people in the constitution would address a "discomfort in our national character".

The Prime Minister made the comments during his visit to Arnhem Land last week, which was to make good on an election commitment to spend at least one week a year in a remote community. His visit was cut short after counter-terrorism raids in Sydney and Brisbane.

He told the newspaper that the arrival of British settlers was devastating for Aborigines.

"Initially the impact [of British settlement] was all bad - disease, dispossession, discrimination, at times wanton murder," he said.

"While justice was colour-blind, there was still the enormous discrimination. There was not a lot of official respect in the early days. There was even less popular respect."

The language is the strongest heard from Mr Abbott in advocating for constitutional recognition.

Last week, Mr Abbott said the 2016 federal election was not an appropriate time to hold a referendum because constitutional recognition should be a bipartisan measure that could suffer if held during a partisan campaign.

Instead, 2017 is shaping up as the most likely option.

"This is, I think, an appropriate way of saying to Aboriginal people, you should be and are first class citizens of your own country," Mr Abbott told The Telegraph.

"Indigenous people's concerns every so often should be front and centre in the minds of our national leaders because they are, after all, the first Australians.

"They were, to our discredit, ignored and at times mistreated for much of the first couple of centuries of our national existence."

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/ ... z3E95chOLy" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Don't ya just love it when people lose their minds and rewrite history.

Personally I'll be voting NO. based on what I know so far.
Aborigines are already catered for in the Constitution... they're called Australians.

Ditto. Exactly.

[boxy]

Another coalition referendum, designed to fail, then? Shades of Howard the monarchist, fucking over the republic referendum

[Rorschach]

Never thought you were a real Conspiranut Poxy... guess I over estimated you eh.

[Outlaw Yogi]

Another coalition referendum, designed to fail, then? Shades of Howard the monarchist, fucking over the republic referendum

Actually it was Malcom Turnbull who hijacked the republic referendum.

Y'see Malcom's agenda is water privatisation (for foreign banks of course) and the referendum was his opportunity to remove section 100 (in chapter 4 - Finance & Trade) concerning state ownership of rivers. Then he got Howard to appoint him to a pseudo-water ministry - Office of Water Policy. Then he tried to become PM.

So I'm glad the Libs chose Tony over Malcolm this time round.

[Outlaw Yogi]

As for the recognition of Aboriginals in the constitution, as "the first Australians" or some other title, it's an appeasement scam.
The mining industry is the most powerful entity in OZ as a result of the Eureka Stokade, but Native title had dented its influence.
Constitutional recognition will get the blacks so euphoric they won't notice the holes I'll dig in their back yard.

[BendOverBob]

If there is any constitution change I just hope that they finally recognise whites

[Lucas]

Agreed Bob, after all the racism and bigotry over recent years against the whitey its about bloody time. I can't even go to the shops anymore without getting a filthy look through a Burqa. If you have any Abo in your linage milk it for all its worth I say.

[boxy]

If there is any constitution change I just hope that they finally recognise whites

Whites are easy to recognise. They're the ones sporting crocs and rat tails

[Lucas]

If there is any constitution change I just hope that they finally recognise whites

Whites are easy to recognise. They're the ones sporting crocs and rat tails

And the ones that the muslims wearing burqas growl and hiss at at the local shopping centre.