Constitutional recognition for Aborigines: Shorten urges PM to back leaders

The PM is under pressure to agree to Aboriginal conventions on constitutional change after Bill Shorten backed leaders.

Call for indigenous conferences to discuss the referendum: Patrick Dodson. Picture: Britta Campion

Tony Abbott is under increasing pressure to agree to Aboriginal conventions on constitutional change after Bill Shorten backed a plan laid out by indigenous leaders who are pushing an alternative road map to recognition.

In a letter to the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader strongly backs a united call from Aboriginal leaders Patrick Dodson, Noel Pearson, Kirstie Parker and Megan Davis for Aboriginal conventions in the lead-up to a refer­endum planned for 2017.

Mr Shorten has urged “collect­ive support” for an indigenous-led recognition process, which he says presents no impediment to plans laid out in a joint communique published after a historic bipart­isan summit held last month in which Mr Abbott and he jointly hosted 40 indigenous leaders at Kirribilli.

Kimberley Yawuru leader Mr Dodson and Cape York leader Mr Pearson recently wrote a joint entreaty, published in The Weekend Australian, calling for a series of indigenous conferences to be held to discuss the referendum, culminating in a national indigenous convention at Uluru. They want that process to precede broader consultations on recognition.

The indigenous leaders also wrote to the Prime Minister and Mr Shorten on the issue. Mr Abbott­ has as yet failed to respond.

Mr Shorten has now written to Mr Abbott calling for his support for the indigenous-led process.

“This letter asks you to support an independent process of indig­enous consultation including a nation­al indigenous convention,” Mr Shorten wrote in the letter to Mr Abbott, obtained by The Weekend Australian.

“I believe this can occur within the framework already agreed at our meeting with indigenous representatives on 6 July 2015.

“As we have both said previously, it is important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are able to properly consider­ and debate models for constit­utional recognition. I believe­ majority consensus from indige­nous Australians on a proposed model will provide a strong foundation for all Australians to support constitutional change.

“Just as I believe all Australians should be involved in the debate it is important that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders feel genuinely heard. Accordingly, I believe we should support these proposals.

“Providing our collective suppor­t will demonstrate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples our shared commitment to constitutional change and will ensure our continued bipartisanship.”

Following the July 6 summit, Mr Abbott laid out a road map to recognition that included the establish­ment of a referendum council, and plans for a “national discussion involving all Aust­ralians”. He said that the referendum “should be a unifying moment owned by everyone”.

But the language grated with indigenous leaders, who complained that it did not reflect the consensus of black leaders at the meeting who universally backed indigenous conventions.

Mr Shorten said in his letter to Mr Abbott that the proposition for publicly funded indigenous conferences “align with the outcomes” agreed on July 6, and would “complement the role of the broader community conferences involving all Australians”.

Mr Shorten wrote a separate letter to Mr Dodson, Mr Pearson and National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples co-chair Ms Parker and Professor Davis, thanking the indigenous representatives for their leadership on the issue.

Mr Abbott’s office said yesterday that the Prime Minister was considering the issue.