Indigenous Australians deserve constitutional recognition

Australian politicians are quibbling over the process to achieve recognition of the indigenous population in the country's constitution. Prime Minister Tony Abbott has been conveying conflicting policy positions in recent months, vacillating between supporting a symposium of Aboriginal leaders and decrying the idea as divisive.

Popular opinion polling shows that Australian nationals broadly support the move, yet the political leadership in the country refuses to step up to the crease and bring the idea to fruition.

While constitutional recognition may be seen to be symbolic, it would represent a great shift forward in white-black relations and lay further groundwork for efforts towards a lasting reconciliation.

The Constitution is for 'the people' and does not differentiate. The Aboriginal question is a issue of history - acknowledgement that they were the original inhabitants. The Constitution is not a historical record and should not be turned into such. The Constitution evolves and changes with society and all of the poor legacy elements being eventually removed or modified by 'the people', through referenda. The Constition does not say "we the people, descendents of British settlement and subsequent immigration...", it all encompassing states "the People of Australia." There is no context that needs to be refined or defined unless we consider that the Aboriginal people are not "the people of Australia." Discriminatory? I wouldn't use that language but definitely unnecessary.

Any legislation that distinguishes one race from another and treats one race differently from any other race, no matter what that race, is racist. The Australian constitution is for all Australians. I am indigenous to this land, so were my parents, so were my grandparents, so were my great grandparents, so were my great great grandparents, I have known no other land than this one. Should I have special legislation giving me certain rights or privileges over someone who was born here and only one of there parents was born here? Or perhaps someone whose both grandparents were born here, their parents born here, and they were born here? It is really quite silly, by all means recognize indigenous Australians for their great contribution but legislate change to our constitution and slant it towards a particular race? I think not.

Use the Canada model !