Mr BALCH - 1998-08-20
A recent meeting of Aboriginal Territorians has called for a Northern Territory constitution that recognises their right to self-government. What are the implications of such a proposal for other Territorians and for statehood?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this call for self-government does not come as a great surprise. I went back and found the substance of a speech that was delivered by the then executive director of the Northern Land Council, Darryl Pearce, at the Cairns workshop on regional agreements. He had this to say:
We are talking about a self-governing Territory. We will control the resources, we will control the access, we will set up the police forces, we will set up the legal system and move
away from the system which we do not fit into.
I hope members opposite would dissociate themselves from those sorts of aspirations and claims because they amount to the breaking-up of the Territory.
Mr Toyne: I understand their frustration.
Mr STONE: The member for Stuart says that he understands why they do it. Everything is done in the name of frustration. Members opposite do not seem to understand that they are living in a democratic system where Territorians decide who sits where in this Chamber and who governs. They seem to have difficulty coming to grips with that, but that is the reality. Let us hear no more of this lame-duck excuse of frustration.
Returning to the case in point, I am concerned to hear that there would be this pursuit of self-government based on race. It is wrong. It should not happen. It represents the worst of what we saw in countries like South Africa. Of course, a precursor to this was the talk of the setting-up of an indigenous party, an Aboriginal party. That was being aided and abetted by certain members of the Labor Party. They obviously thought that there was some merit in such a proposal. Indeed, the member for Nhulunbuy wrote to the Leader of the Opposition on 10 September 1997 and said:
Dear Maggie,
On the flight back this morning, I raised with Galarrwuy the prospect of a visit by yourself to Nhulunbuy to meet with him.
This discussion broadened into the pros and the cons of an indigenous party. I explained that the idea worried some in the party, but others thought that it was a natural
maturation of legitimate Aboriginal political aspirations and, depending on how it was worked out, could have positives for the Labor Party.
The discussion resulted in the invitation by Galarrwuy to caucus to sit down with him and others in his homeland over a weekend for discussion. He is totally serious
about this and intends resigning from the land council to give it his full weight, if it looks like getting up.
If successful, an indigenous party would obviously put Jack and Maurice in an invidious position, and that situation, like many others, would have to be worked through
with a good deal of sensitivity. However, we have an invitation to meet in a beautiful part of the country. The catering is on him, and caucus needs to respond.
Yours sincerely,
Syd Stirling.
People are free in a democracy to set up any political party they want. If people want to set up a party based on race – and that is the very allegation that, of course, the Labor Party and others make against other political organisations in this country at present - then it is a matter for them. However, Territorians should have no illusions about the fact that this notion of an indigenous party as a precursor to self-government for Aboriginal people, separating them from the rest of the Territory - is clearly coming from the Labor Party.
It is worth reflecting for a moment on what Tracker Tilmouth – ‘Bruce’ to his friends - had to say on 8DDD Drive Time on 19 September:
I think the Labor Party has failed the Aboriginal people for the last 4 elections. Unfortunately, Maggie Hickey fell into that hole with her comments about native title.
I don’t think there is any support from Aboriginal people for the current leadership in the Labor Party, and I think Aboriginal people will voice their opinions by
establishing their own indigenous party.
Mrs Hickey: It hasn’t happened, has it?
Mr STONE: We hear an interjection from the Leader of the Opposition that it has not happened. Things have moved pretty rapidly over the last few days at Kalkarindji with the call for self-government, a separate Aboriginal state. I would not be the least bit surprised if we see a separate indigenous party. In the event that such a party arises, that is their right within the democratic process. However, at the end of the day, the Labor Party will have to accept some responsibility for encouraging people in a particular direction when it knows that no Commonwealth government, be it Coalition or Labor, would agree to a separation of people within the Northern Territory based on race. I think that most Territorians would find that totally unacceptable, whether they be black, white or brindle, and certainly they would not accept it.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this call for self-government does not come as a great surprise. I went back and found the substance of a speech that was delivered by the then executive director of the Northern Land Council, Darryl Pearce, at the Cairns workshop on regional agreements. He had this to say:
We are talking about a self-governing Territory. We will control the resources, we will control the access, we will set up the police forces, we will set up the legal system and move
away from the system which we do not fit into.
I hope members opposite would dissociate themselves from those sorts of aspirations and claims because they amount to the breaking-up of the Territory.
Mr Toyne: I understand their frustration.
Mr STONE: The member for Stuart says that he understands why they do it. Everything is done in the name of frustration. Members opposite do not seem to understand that they are living in a democratic system where Territorians decide who sits where in this Chamber and who governs. They seem to have difficulty coming to grips with that, but that is the reality. Let us hear no more of this lame-duck excuse of frustration.
Returning to the case in point, I am concerned to hear that there would be this pursuit of self-government based on race. It is wrong. It should not happen. It represents the worst of what we saw in countries like South Africa. Of course, a precursor to this was the talk of the setting-up of an indigenous party, an Aboriginal party. That was being aided and abetted by certain members of the Labor Party. They obviously thought that there was some merit in such a proposal. Indeed, the member for Nhulunbuy wrote to the Leader of the Opposition on 10 September 1997 and said:
Dear Maggie,
On the flight back this morning, I raised with Galarrwuy the prospect of a visit by yourself to Nhulunbuy to meet with him.
This discussion broadened into the pros and the cons of an indigenous party. I explained that the idea worried some in the party, but others thought that it was a natural
maturation of legitimate Aboriginal political aspirations and, depending on how it was worked out, could have positives for the Labor Party.
The discussion resulted in the invitation by Galarrwuy to caucus to sit down with him and others in his homeland over a weekend for discussion. He is totally serious
about this and intends resigning from the land council to give it his full weight, if it looks like getting up.
If successful, an indigenous party would obviously put Jack and Maurice in an invidious position, and that situation, like many others, would have to be worked through
with a good deal of sensitivity. However, we have an invitation to meet in a beautiful part of the country. The catering is on him, and caucus needs to respond.
Yours sincerely,
Syd Stirling.
People are free in a democracy to set up any political party they want. If people want to set up a party based on race – and that is the very allegation that, of course, the Labor Party and others make against other political organisations in this country at present - then it is a matter for them. However, Territorians should have no illusions about the fact that this notion of an indigenous party as a precursor to self-government for Aboriginal people, separating them from the rest of the Territory - is clearly coming from the Labor Party.
It is worth reflecting for a moment on what Tracker Tilmouth – ‘Bruce’ to his friends - had to say on 8DDD Drive Time on 19 September:
I think the Labor Party has failed the Aboriginal people for the last 4 elections. Unfortunately, Maggie Hickey fell into that hole with her comments about native title.
I don’t think there is any support from Aboriginal people for the current leadership in the Labor Party, and I think Aboriginal people will voice their opinions by
establishing their own indigenous party.
Mrs Hickey: It hasn’t happened, has it?
Mr STONE: We hear an interjection from the Leader of the Opposition that it has not happened. Things have moved pretty rapidly over the last few days at Kalkarindji with the call for self-government, a separate Aboriginal state. I would not be the least bit surprised if we see a separate indigenous party. In the event that such a party arises, that is their right within the democratic process. However, at the end of the day, the Labor Party will have to accept some responsibility for encouraging people in a particular direction when it knows that no Commonwealth government, be it Coalition or Labor, would agree to a separation of people within the Northern Territory based on race. I think that most Territorians would find that totally unacceptable, whether they be black, white or brindle, and certainly they would not accept it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016