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2020 Summit

Each participant in this weekend's 2020 summit was asked to write 200 words on their main idea, and an issue that they've changed their mind over in the last 10 years. Reconciliation Australia’s Barbara Livesey and Jason Glanville are both attending the Indigenous Affairs stream and here are their 200 word submissions plus an article they co-wrote for media.

Read the opinion pieces at
http://www.reconciliation.org.au/i-cms.isp?page=686


2020 Summit http://www.australia2020.gov.au/

Read next: Opinion piece by Mark Leibler AC, Co-Chair

Please click here to download the Media Release:
AUSTRALIA 2020 SUMMIT - Background Papers launched

The Prime Minister of Australia Kevin Rudd will convene an Australia 2020 Summit at Parliament House on 19 and 20 April to help shape a long term strategy for the nation’s future.

The Summit will bring together some of the best and brightest brains from across the country to tackle the long term challenges confronting Australia’s future – challenges which require long-term responses from the nation beyond the usual three year electoral cycle.

To do this, the Government will bring together 1000 leading Australians to the national Parliament to debate and develop long-term options for the nation across 10 critical areas:

  1. The Productivity Agenda – education, skills, training, science and innovation
  2. The Future of the Australian Economy
  3. Population, sustainability, climate change and water
  4. Future directions for rural industries and rural communities
  5. A long-term national health strategy – including the challenges of
    preventative health, workforce planning and the ageing population
    Strengthening communities, supporting families and social inclusion
  6. Options for the future of indigenous Australia http://www.australia2020.gov.au/topics/indigenous.cfm
    Click here to read the background paper http://www.australia2020.gov.au/topics/docs/indigenous.pdf
  7. Towards a creative Australia: the future of the arts, film and design
  8. The future of Australian governance: renewed democracy, a more open government (including the role of the media), the structure of the
  9. Federation and the rights and responsibilities of citizens
  10. Australia’s future security and prosperity in a rapidly changing region and world.

Australian Government to Apologise to Members of the Stolen Generations

Reconciliation referendum

John Howard recently announced that he would hold a referendum in which Australians could vote to recognise the special place of Indigenous people in the Australian constitution.

These websites have been chosen to help you understand the nature of the issues – what’s being planned and how Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians have reacted.

Prime Minister Howard’s Speech
Available via The Age website

The Opposition’s Response to Howard’s announcement
Available via the website of Jenny Macklin MP, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs


Reconciliation Perspectives

Reconciliation Australia’s Response

Gary Highland, ANTaR
View the response of Gary Highland, National Director, Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR)


Indigenous Voices

Statement by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner on the call for a ‘new’ reconciliation

Aboriginal elders voice support for PM’s referendum
Elders from East Arnhem clans on the Northern Territory west-coast say they would like to see Indigenous people choose the words of any change to the Constitution's preamble.

Howard urged to say ‘sorry’
A selection of Indigenous leaders’ calls for an apology.

PM’s referendum announcement was a bad start: Davis
University of New South Wales Indigenous lecturer and lawyer Megan Davis responds to Howard’s announcement.
 


The recent passing of legislation in response to ‘The Little Children Are Sacred,’ the report of the Northern Territory Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse, has sparked much public and media debate. Here are some links to help you understand the nature of the changes.

UN Declaration a milestone for Indigenous people

Summary of ‘The Little Children are Sacred’
A summary of the Report of the Northern Territory Board of Inquiry into the Protection of Aboriginal Children from Sexual Abuse 2007.

Response of the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the Northern Territory
A proposed Emergency Response and Development Plan to protect Aboriginal
children in the Northern Territory: a preliminary response to the Australian Government’s proposals by the Combined Aboriginal Organisations of the Northern Territory

Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007 Summary
A summary of the Emergency Response legislation prepared by the Australian Parliamentary Library.

Submissions to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee Inquiry into the Northern Territory National Emergency Response Bill 2007 & Related Bills
This link takes you to submissions made by individuals and organisations in response to the Northern Territory National Emergency response legislation.


Indigenous News Sources

Keep in touch with Indigenous issues. Follow the links to frequently updated Indigenous news sources.

National Indigenous Times
Updates and stories related to Indigenous issues. 

ABC News – Just In 
Latest news relating to Indigenous issues

Message Stick (ABC)
Indigenous news, information and upcoming programming

Living Black
Website of the SBS Indigenous news program

Plugger.com – Indigenous
Indigenous-related news stories from a variety of news sources