Expert panel members discuss the practicalities of Indigenous constitutional reform

Expert panel members attend workshop to discuss the practicalities of Indigenous constitutional reform.

On Friday 1 July, the Indigenous Law Centre and the Gilbert + Tobin Centre of Public Law held an all-day workshop of experts on constitutional law and Indigenous law to discuss the practicalities of Indigenous constitutional reform. Some of those in attendance included Marcia Langton, Geoffrey Lindell, Hilary Charlesworth, George Williams, Adrienne Stone and Anne Twomey. Discussions on the day were vigorous and productive, and addressed numerous issues in the current debate about constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Topics covered included the preamble, the race power, guarantees of non-discrimination and equality, constitutional recognition of land rights, agreement-making, and the politics of reform. Papers presented at the workshop will be published in an edition of the Australian Indigenous Law Review in the latter half of 2011.