Aboriginal recognition stalls as Noel Pearson warns of dependence

Plans for a series of indigenous meetings on constitutional recognition due to begin by year’s end have stalled.

Noel Pearson says indigenous recognition is too dependent on Canberra politics Picture: Brad Newton

Plans for a series of indigenous meetings on constitutional recognition due to begin by the end of the year have stalled, as the government and Labor negotiate on who will form a new referendum council to steer the process.

The delay comes amid warnings from Cape York leader Noel Pearson that the fate of indigenous recognition has been too ­dependent on Canberra politics, with leadership ­changes creating a “precarious” situation for self-determin­ation.

Following a meeting at Kirribilli House in Sydney in July, Tony Abbott pledged to fund a series­ of conventions for indigenous Australians to agree on the model for constitutional change to take to a 2017 referendum.

The former prime minister’s decision was hailed by Aboriginal leaders as critical for reaching a consensus among Aborigines on whether to pursue a declaration of recognition paired with an indig­enous representative body — a model advocated by Mr Pearson, or recognition coupled with a racial­ non-discrimination clause, as recommended by a 2012 expert panel and backed by a bipartisan parliamentary committee.

The first of the meetings was due to take place in September.

Recognise joint campaign direc­tor Tanya Hosch called on the government and opposition to move “beyond good intentions”, saying action was now needed.

“The call for constitutional recog­nition has been debated for over a decade, and we can’t afford for the opportunity to slip away,” Ms Hosch told The Australian.

“The referendum council needs to be announced, the planning towards further consultation needs to start now.”

Indigenous Labor senator Nova Peris, who was deputy chairwoman of the parliamentary committee examining constitutional change, agreed momentum was needed but said “we must also get it right”. “Aboriginal people are feeling disconnected from this process,’’ Senator Peris said.

“The best way for them to feel included is to have Aboriginal-only conventions, so they can find that consensus,” she said.

“Malcolm Turnbull needs to come clean on his vision for Aboriginal Australia and constitutional recognition. So far, he’s said nothing substantial on the issue. So much work has been done … by so many people. We cannot ­waste it.”

Mark Leibler, who was co-chairman of the expert panel on constitutional recognition, said there was positive support from the new Prime Minister but without indigenous backing there was “no basis” to pursue change.

“The critical thing right now is to get some sort of consensus amongst the Aboriginal people in terms of what they really want,” he said. “What they come up with also needs to be doable as well in terms of the political process.”

He said achieving consensus by 2017 was possible, but the time­frame was becoming “tight”.

The calls for progress come as Kevin Rudd prepares to enter the debate on recognition, with the former prime minister due to speak at the 2015 ANU Reconciliation Lecture on Wednesday.

Mr Rudd will explore the link between symbolic national gestures, such as his landmark 2008 apology, with “substantive actions and measurable outcomes”, such as the Closing the Gap strategy.