Aboriginal lawyer and community spokesman Michael Mansell says there would be widespread support for Senator Jacqui Lambert’s call for designated seats in parliament for Aboriginals.
Mr Mansell said, “The make-up of parliaments is meant to reflect the people they represent. For 226 years Aboriginal people have not been offered the chance to directly elect their own representatives to the parliament despite the constitutional requirement that in Australia politicians are to be ‘directly elected by the people’.
“Two Aboriginal seats could be set aside in the more populated States and Territory of NT, Qld, NSW, SA and WA, with one seat each from Victoria and Tasmania making 12 seats all together.
“It might be preferable to have the seats in the Senate than where the government is elected in the House of representatives for two reasons: first, Aborigines would be seeking direct representation to give Aboriginals a direct voice rather than to govern the country. Second, 12 Aboriginal delegates out of 150 (162 with the added Aboriginal seats) would not have the same effect as would 12 out of 76 Senators (88 with 12 Aboriginal Senators).
“In addition, an Aboriginal representative body along the lines suggested by Noel Pearson over the weekend, would give local communities a greater say. Ms Lambert is wrong to label the ATSIC model as a failure and suggesting such a replacement body would be corrupt.
“That view reflects ignorance.
“The Federal government has the race power to implement the designated seats idea. Ms Lambert should lobby PUP and the Prime Minister to follow through with the idea.”
Mr Mansell added that relying on political parties to nominate Aboriginals is not the answer.
“The Aboriginal candidate endorsed by a party has split loyalties between their people and their party.
“And the rhetoric of Australian democracy being open to all Aboriginals ignores the reality that Aboriginals are a minority. Then being carved up into electorates ensures the Aboriginal voter population in each State and Territory is further diminished, virtually guarantees Aboriginals cannot get elected.
“Richard Franklin found this out in Victoria as did Maurie Japarta Ryan in the Northern Territory.
“Representative democracy should be based on a real chance of electing people of choice, not some theoretical hope unrelated to reality. Electorates drawn up on area and population anticipate the majority population always wins and minorities always lose. That is not democracy. Trees and acres do not vote- people do”.
• Jacqui Lambie on Australian Story HERE where you can read a transcript
