Exclusion on constitutional recognition like genocide, says leader

An Aboriginal leader has attacked a meeting seeking consensus on constitutional recognition of Aborigines.

Rodney Dillon of the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Community Alliance. Picture: James Croucher

An Aboriginal leader has attacked the first of 12 meetings seeking national consensus on constitutional recognition of Aborigines as unrepresentative and akin to “genocide”.

Rodney Dillon, co-chairman of the Tasmanian Regional Aboriginal Community Alliance, told The Australian the weekend Referendum Council regional dialogue in Hobart could not be seen as representative of his state’s indigenous community.

He said by selecting the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre as the sole host of the dialogue, and failing to consult with other groups, the Referendum Council had disenfranchised thousands of Tasmanian Aborigines associated with TRACA, an umbrella of eight groups. “It’s sort of like a type of genocide — that one group denies another group,” Mr Dillon said.

The dialogue was the first of 12 to be had across the country to gauge Aboriginal views on constitutional recognition. The dialogues aim to shape a final national summit at Uluru in April, and final recommendations for change to Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten. The 100-invitees to the TAC-hosted meeting that concluded on Sunday resolved that constitutional recognition must be accompanied by talks for a treaty addressing land and financial settlements.

TRACA groups have generally been more supportive of constitutional recognition as a first step, while the TAC — locked in a power struggle with TRACA for influence — has insisted it is meaningless without a treaty or bill of rights.

Key TRACA members were either not invited to the dialogue or opted to boycott it.

Mr Dillon said the dialogue communique could not be seen as representative of a consensus view when so many individuals and groups had been unable to attend.

Council executive officer Geoff Scott, who last month said the TAC was chosen as the sole host because “we just made a call to have the TAC”, said yesterday he was “not in a position to make any comment” about TRACA’s concerns.