Q&A recap: Bill Shorten blasted for ‘treaty bomb’ by Marcia Langton

LEADING Aboriginal academic Marcia Langton has blasted Bill Shorten over his claim Labor could sign a treaty with Indigenous Australians.

LEADING Aboriginal academic Marcia Langton has blasted Opposition Leader Bill Shorten over his suggestion Labor could sign a treaty with Aboriginal people if he wins government, accusing him of throwing a “bomb” into the debate.

On Q&A last night Professor Langton said Mr Shorten should not have suggested signing a treaty before there is constitutional recognition of indigenous people.

Mr Shorten suggested Labor would consider a treaty a fortnight ago when he appeared on Q&A.

“Why raise a treaty ... when you’ve spent so much money on the constitutional issue problem and we are still waiting for an answer and there is a Referendum Council sitting there to do its work, and the timing of the referendum, all the technicalities for the referendum and somebody throws the treaty bomb in. Why do that?” Prof Langton said.

When is government going to start listening to indigenous community members on policy? @marcialangton #QandA https://t.co/58RXtntslk

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) June 27, 2016

Money is swallowed up by bureaucrats, says Jones. @tanya_plibersek says treaty & recognition is not exclusive #QandA https://t.co/5iPx7t0yX5

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) June 27, 2016

She said it meant indigenous affairs made headlines “for all the wrong reasons”.

“I think it was about early 2011 that Julia Gillard appointed the expert panel on constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians. The report was handed to her. And we’ve heard nothing substantial since from either party, although both parties say that they’re committed to it,” Prof Langton said.

“But no response, no adequate response in any of the detail.”