Support for Social Justice Commissioner

CO-CHAIRS of National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, Jackie Huggins and Rod Little have welcomed the submission by four former Social Justice Commissioners together with the current Social Justice Commissioner June Oscar in offering a pathway forward on constitutional recognition.

They said the submission to the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition was based on decades of advocacy and clearly identified unfinished business of recognising Australia’s first people in constitutional reform, embedding a voice in the constitution, "a truth telling process and agreement or treaty making framework as critical to meaningful reform".

The National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples is a democratically elected body representing a membership of more than 9,500 individuals and 180 community organisations.

Dr Huggins said, “The National Congress was developed by first peoples for the people responding to the silence of a representative voice since the abolishment of the ATSIC model."

"Although, the establishment of National Congress had bi-partisan support, we were defunded in 2014, which destabilised our development.

"The Joint Submission states that whilst National Congress is in its infancy, with the appropriate resourcing and recognition it can be a far more effective representative voice. As the appropriately constituted national peak First Peoples organisation, National Congress, already carries out the important work of developing responses and providing independent advice to Government. We continue to be the voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australia."

Mr Little said, “Whilst governments wage internal warfare, the commitment to us as a people is forgotten."

www.nationalcongress.com.au

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