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ANTaR Welcomes the Coalition’s commitment to Constitutional recognition of First Australians

Click here for the ANTaR National media release, August 10, 2010.

ANTaR welcomes moves towards Constitutional recognition of First Australians

Click here for the ANTaR National media release, August 9, 2010.

Opposition backs Indigenous referendum

- AAP, August 10, 2010
The Coalition supports amending the constitution to formally recognise Indigenous people but Opposition Leader Tony Abbott hints it could take some time. "I am supportive of a referendum (on the issue), but we've got to get the right proposal," he told reporters in Sydney on Tuesday.

"That's going to involve a lot of careful discussion." Mr Abbott has given bipartisan support to the referendum idea, which Labor committed to earlier in the week as part of its effort to "close the gap" between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. But Mr Abbott said it was merely a reannouncement of a commitment Labor made in 2008 and did not act upon. Click to here to read more.

State's young Aborigines need help: Hulls

- Julia Medew, August 10, 2010
Young Aborigines are battling racism, much poorer health and higher rates of abuse and neglect than their non-Indigenous peers in Victoria, a state government report has found. Deputy Premier Rob Hulls yesterday released a strategy to improve the lives of Aborigines after a report showed they were in need of help.

The report said: ''On the whole, the evidence suggests that far more effort is required to support and strengthen Aboriginal families in Victoria, as higher proportions (when compared to both Aboriginal families across Australia and to non-Aboriginal families in Victoria) are exposed to issues of substance use, violence, crime, psychological distress, life stressors, and have experienced racism and discrimination.'' Click here to read more.

Labor Government to recognise Aborigines

- Larine Statham, AAP, August 8, 2010
Amendments to the Australian constitution to recognise Aborigines will be put to a referendum under a re-elected Labor government, Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin says. Ms Macklin said constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders would be an important step in strengthening the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians and building trust. Click here to read more.

Aboriginal anger over convict heritage list

- Meredith Griffiths, ABC, August 2, 2010
Indigenous activists have criticised the United Nations for placing Australia's convict sites on the World Heritage List. UNESCO has announced that 11 sites, including Port Arthur, Hyde Park Barracks and Fremantle Prison, should be preserved because of their "outstanding universal value". Australia already has 17 World Heritage areas, but only two are buildings. The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre says UNESCO should not list any more "white Australian" sites while Aboriginal history is being neglected and destroyed. Click here to read more.

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