Griffith Law School recommends that any Constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples must be informed by an understanding of their ‘ancient sovereignty’.
In a statement released during NAIDOC week, the Griffith Law School called on Australia’s political leaders to work towards the goals expressed in the historic ‘Uluru Statement from the Heart’.
Amending the Constitution, to give Australia’s First Peoples a voice, is an important and overdue step needed to advance reconciliation according to the Griffith Law School.
Griffith Law School has also pledged to support the work outlined by the Uluru Statement through its own teaching, research and advocacy work in promoting justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
Full statement from the Griffith Law School
Griffith Law School accepts the invitation expressed in the recentUluru Statement from the Heart,to walk with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoplesas part of ‘a movement of the Australian people for a better future’.
The Statement calls for the inclusion of a First Nations voice in the Constitution. This step is long overdue.Amendment of the Constitution is a crucial feature of the broader institutional change required to advance reconciliation.
Importantly, theUluru Statementstresses the need for Constitutional recognition to be informed by an understanding of the ‘ancient sovereignty’ of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
The Law School encourages our political leaders, state and national, to work constructively with the working group established at the 2017 First Nations National Constitutional Conventionto advance the goals of theUluru Statement.
Lawyers will have an important role to play in the work ahead. Griffith Law School looks forward to supporting and participating in that work, through teaching, research and other activities promoting justice forAustralia’s First Peoples.