March/April 2008 Volume 7, Issue 4

Editorial

The Federal Labor Government’s 2020 Summit was billed as a coming together of the ‘best and brightest brains from across the country to tackle the long term challenges confronting Australia’s future.’ Held in Canberra on 19-20 April, the Summit divided up these challenges into 10 key areas. For Indigenous Law Centre Director Megan Davis’ take on the 2020 Summit, particularly issues arising in subsequent media reports in relation to the Indigenous issues debate, see her article with Sarah Maddison, ‘The gains must not be squandered’ in the Sydney Morning Herald of 24 April 2008.

Two key issues arising from 2020 Summit discussion, albeit not new issues, are constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians and a national Indigenous representative body. In this edition we canvass some options in relation to each. John Chesterman from the University of Melbourne looks at the possible wording of reference to Indigenous Australians in the Australian Constitution. Megan Davis writes on the structure of a national Indigenous representative body and how such a body may be developed to better represent the needs and interests of Indigenous women.

Of course, perhaps the most significant event of early 2008 was the Prime Minister’s apology to the Stolen Generations. In this edition we publish the text of the apology and selected excerpts from Prime Minister Rudd’s subsequent speech.

The New South Wales Aboriginal Justice Advisory Committee has, since its inception, devised and produced diverse projects aimed at improving and increasing access to justice for Indigenous people in the State. Jackie Gerber writes for the ILB on a number of these projects, specifically targeting violence and child abuse in NSW Indigenous communities.

Housing is a key indicator of wellbeing and it is well known that figures show Indigenous Australians to be at a distinct disadvantage in regard to availability and accessibility of adequate dwelling structures. Here we publish Part One of Tammy Solonec’s two-part piece on Indigenous housing issues. Mainstream housing options remain the focus of this instalment – Part Two will appear next edition.

I was fortunate to be invited to attend and observe a United Nations International Expert Group Meeting on Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples in Darwin, Northern Territory in early April. The meeting brought together indigenous peoples from around the world to discuss the critical impact of climate change on traditional cultures, lands and ways of life. The discussions held within the meeting will inform not only the Indigenous Law Centre project on the human rights implications of climate change for Indigenous Australians, but also a Special Focus Edition of the Indigenous Law Bulletin on Climate Change and indigenous peoples to be published later this year.

Jacqui Houston
Editor

Archives of the ILB from Volume 1, Issue 1 (1981) to 6 (23) 2006 are available online at http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AboriginalLB and http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/ILB/.

Federal Government Apology
by Kevin Rudd, PM

Indigenous Women’s Representation and the Proposal for a New National Representative Body
by Megan Davis

Toward Indigenous Recognition in the Australian Constitution: Getting the Words Right
by John Chesterman

The NSW Aboriginal Justice Advisory Council’s Family Violence Awareness and Prevention Initiatives
by Jacqueline Gerber

At the Table or on the Menu? Indigenous Peoples’ Engagement in Climate Change Policy
by Jacqui Houston

Housing for Indigenous Western Australians: Part One
by Tammy Solonec

Regular

Recent Happenings February 2008
Recent Happenings March 2008
Recent Happenings April 2008