An Indigenous Parliament?

An Indigenous Parliament?
Author: Kathrin Wessendorf
Publisher: IWGIA
Total Pages: 232
Release: 2005
Genre: History
ISBN: 9788791563102

The indigenous peoples of the Arctic have achieved some of the most comprehensive self-government arrangements in the world. These are reflected upon in this collection of articles, based on discussions between indigenous peoples in Russia and other parts of the Circumpolar North. Decision-making and political participation are of major concern for indigenous peoples in all parts of the Circumpolar North. There are many positive examples of indigenous political institutions, land claims and self-government agreements in the region, and indigenous peoples have recognised that they can learn from each other. Over the past decade, indigenous peoples in Russia have attempted to gain rights and influence over political decisions concerning their lands and lives. In some provinces of the Russian Federation, they have achieved a certain level of influence over - and an advisory role in - political institutions. And yet in others, they remain voiceless. This volume includes a number of articles on the legal situation of indigenous peoples in Russia and on their political participation at federal and provincial level, along with case studies from Alaska, northern Canada, Greenland and Sápmi. This book was first published jointly by RAIPON and IWGIA in Russian in 2003.

Time to Listen

Time to Listen
Author: Melissa Castan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023-09
Genre:
ISBN: 9781922979124

In 2023, debate about an Indigenous Voice to Parliament swirls around us as Australia heads towards a referendum on amending the Constitution to make this Voice a reality. The idea of a 'First Nations Voice' was famously raised in 2017, when Indigenous leaders drafted the Statement from the Heart -- also known as the Uluru Statement. It was envisioned as a representative body, enshrined in the Constitution, that would advise federal parliament and the executive government on laws and policies of significance to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. But while Indigenous people may finally get their Voice, will it be heard? In Time to Listen, Melissa Castan and Lynette Russell explore how the need for a Voice has its roots in what anthropologist WEH Stanner in the late 1960s called the 'Great Australian Silence', whereby the history and culture of Indigenous Australians have been largely ignored by the wider society. This 'forgetting' has not been incidental but rather an intentional, initially colonial policy of erasement. So have times now changed? Is the tragedy of that national silence -- a refusal to acknowledge Indigenous agency and cultural achievements -- finally coming to an end? And will the Makarrata Commission, which takes its name from a Yolngu word meaning 'peace after a dispute', become a reality too, overseeing truth-telling and agreement-making between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians? The Voice to Parliament can be a transformational legal and political institutional reform, but only if Indigenous people are clearly heard when they speak.

An Indigenous Voice to Parliament

An Indigenous Voice to Parliament
Author: Frank Brennan
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023-05
Genre: Aboriginal Australians
ISBN: 9781922484697

Australians will soon be asked to vote in a referendum asking 'Do you support an alteration to the Constitution that establishes an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice?'Frank Brennan has been an advocate for Indigenous rights for 40 years. Here he shows the difficult path travelled by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders and their supporters to get to this question.In the past, advocates argued for changes to Commonwealth Parliament's powers to legislate for Indigenous Australians and to the capacity of the High Court to strike down racially discriminatory laws. They also offered changes to the Constitution that would acknowledge Indigenous history, reality and aspirations.All those proposals are now replaced with the Voice. But is it to be a Voice to Parliament or a Voice to Parliament and to Government? Would the focus be only on special laws applying to the First Australians, or on any other relevant matters?This book fairly outlines both the 'Yes' case and the 'No' case, so that voters can make up their own minds before casting their vote in the referendum. This revised edition includes an Epilogue titled The Failed Quest for Bipartisanship on the Voice that addresses the new discussions, plus additional Appendices.

Challenging Politics

Challenging Politics
Author: Kathrin Wessendorf (ed)
Publisher: IWGIA
Total Pages: 296
Release: 2001
Genre: Political Science
ISBN: 9788790730451

Indigenous peoples all over the world find themselves part of political systems that are not their own but created and defined by governments with alien rules and led by politicians. Over the last centuries, indigenous peoples have gained experience in dealing with these imposed systems of politics and with hitherto unknown social structures. The experiences are very diverse and the reactions to political systems vary. This book gives an impression of and some ideas and inspiration on the issue of involvement of indigenous peoples in national politics. It may be seen as the beginning of a process that will hopefully lead to further discussion and co-operation within the regions but also at an interregional level. The book is a compilation of articles initially written for a number of workshops on Indigenous Peoples' Experiences with Political Parties and Elections. The workshops took place between 1999-2000 in different regions of the world.

Australian Public Law

Australian Public Law
Author: Gabrielle Appleby
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2014
Genre: Public law
ISBN: 9780195525656

Introduces students to key principles, concepts, institutions in Australian Public Law, provides solid foundation for study of constitutional & administrative law. Explained through analysis of mechanisms of power & control, including discussions of functioning of institutions of government & contemporary issues. Authors at Uni of Adelaide.

A First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution

A First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution
Author: Shireen Morris
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2020-08-06
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1509928944

This book makes the legal and political case for Indigenous constitutional recognition through a constitutionally guaranteed First Nations voice, as advocated by the historic Uluru Statement from the Heart. It argues that a constitutional amendment to empower Indigenous peoples with a fairer say in laws and policies made about them and their rights, is both constitutionally congruent and politically achievable. A First Nations voice is deeply in keeping with the culture, design and philosophy of Australia's federal Constitution, as well as the long history of Indigenous advocacy for greater empowerment and self-determination in their affairs. Morris explores the historical, political, theoretical and international contexts underpinning the contemporary debate, before delving into the constitutional detail to craft a compelling case for change.

A First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution

A First Nations Voice in the Australian Constitution
Author: Shireen Morris
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 222
Release: 2020-08-06
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1509928936

This book makes the legal and political case for Indigenous constitutional recognition through a constitutionally guaranteed First Nations voice, as advocated by the historic Uluru Statement from the Heart. It argues that a constitutional amendment to empower Indigenous peoples with a fairer say in laws and policies made about them and their rights, is both constitutionally congruent and politically achievable. A First Nations voice is deeply in keeping with the culture, design and philosophy of Australia's federal Constitution, as well as the long history of Indigenous advocacy for greater empowerment and self-determination in their affairs. Morris explores the historical, political, theoretical and international contexts underpinning the contemporary debate, before delving into the constitutional detail to craft a compelling case for change.