Self-determination

Video Gallery: The political confrontation that occurred at the National Convention was caused by the very apparent stacking of the meeting by the organisers (Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Studies, AIATSIS), no doubt supported by the Referendum Council with a budget of over $800 million.

What was visually clear during the whole process was the apparent divide between members of the Referendum Council. [node:read-more:link]

In 1926 a group of colonists with self acclaimed 'high moral standards' and with a small touch of guilt, came up with the idea to create an Aboriginal state. The idea was to give Arnhem Land to Aboriginal people and teach them how to be self-sufficient ... "It is a bold scheme, but the committee behind it includes men who know the aborigine, and who have sufficient faith in it to call for signatures to a petition to be presented to the Commonwealth Parliament asking for its inauguration" [node:read-more:link]

The 'youlk' looks similar to a kipfler potato and grows in poor sandy soil, which is unsuitable for grain growing or grazing and is now being farmed by an Aboriginal growing group in south west WA as a pilot for more groups. The growing group project is expected to run like other mainstream grower groups. But it is a customised group for Aboriginal farmers as many Indigenous-owned farming properties had different management logistics to other modern-day farms. In some cases, there are 20 members and in some cases 120 members so it is a whole different dynamic to the colonial farming protocol. [node:read-more:link]

Rodney Gibbons and Wendy Moore outside Hobart. (The Australian Pic: Peter Mathew)

Stephen Fitzpatrick The Australian 12 December 2016

Constitutional recognition of First Nations people has been blindsided by more demands, with an official forum in Hobart insisting that plans for a referendum must be accompanied by Treaty talks. [node:read-more:link]