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The Olympic profile puts Aboriginal issues on the international stage: let's resolve them in that light

By Geoff Clark - posted Friday, 15 September 2000


Governments have tried without success in the past to prevent individuals and organisations from going overseas and lobbying international agencies and world leaders.

Oppressing such activity becomes a controversy in itself and attracts more international interest than would otherwise occur.

That approach will increase calls for Aboriginal sovereignty and bring greater attention to the issues of self-determination for the Aboriginal people.

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If the government is seen to be oppressive, hostile and incommunicative, it may be that concern will be raised to such a level that the international community looks towards developing an ‘international solution’ to the plight of Aboriginal people.

There are already some possibilities for international solutions, such as early completion of the international declaration on the rights of Indigenous peoples, and the development of international jurisprudence on the rights of self-determination for Indigenous peoples.

Rather than unintentionally promoting international lobbying, the Australian government should be using the advantages of a strong democracy to deal with Aboriginal concerns and calls for more active changes.

The strengths of democracy can be identified in the description of democracy as ‘government of the people, by the people, for the people’.

Is Australia’s democracy capable of interpretation as ‘of the Aboriginal people, by the Aboriginal people, for the Aboriginal people’?

‘By the people’ might suggest having Aboriginal members in government, but it actually means participation in decision-making in matters of government. Aboriginal people do not enjoy that right.

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The Native Title legislation, for example, is a primary case showing how important decisions which affect Aboriginal property rights are made in isolation from the Aboriginal people, without our participation and without our consent. This is not a feature of a democracy.

The message is clear.

The Australian government must establish a workable relationship with the Aboriginal people, and must be prepared to implement real restitution, non-discrimination and equality.

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This article was originally presented as a speech to the Foreign Correspondents Association in Sydney on September 7, 2000.



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About the Author

Geoff Clark is a former Chair of ATSIC.

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