2018 POLICY RESOLUTION

THE ULURU STATEMENT FROM THE HEART

Eugene Schofield-Georgeson acknowledged that we are on Gadigal land and outlined the race power discussion. He noted that the 2012 proposal was scrapped by the Turnbull government and the recent Uluru Statement was arrived at with a consensus of Aboriginal elders. The statement does not deal with immediate problems or redress, but if we are committed to recognition, we must support it.

Resolution
1 The 2018 AGM of the NSWCCL resolves to endorse the recommendations of the Final Report of the Referendum Council in 2017 relating to:
i. The Constitutional enshrinement of a representative body that gives Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, First Nations a Voice to the Commonwealth Parliament;
ii. The establishment of a ‘Makaratta Commission’ to oversee the process of truth-telling and agreement making;
iii. Extra-constitutional recognition of the unique role played by our First Nations communities in Australia.

We consider these would be a clear assertion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and have the potential to profoundly benefit Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and so we call on the Australian Government - or failing that, the Australian Parliament - to respect and act on the recommendations of the Referendum Council Report.

Moved by Dr Eugene Schofield-George Convenor of the Human Rights Action Group, seconded by Pauline Wright and the motion was declared carried.