ABORIGINAL rights advocate Michael Mansell has welcomed calls by Tasmanian Senator Jacqui Lambie for indigenous quotas in Federal Parliament, but says she should forget her claims to Aboriginality.
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The Palmer United Party Senator yesterday suggested a Senate committee should be set up to examine a model for introducing dedicated seats for Aboriginal people.
‘‘I want to start discussing it now, I don’t want to start discussing in 10 or 15 years time,’’ Senator Lambie said.
Senator Lambie, who spoke of her Tasmanian Aboriginal heritage in her maiden speech, wants to see a ratio of three or four per cent in each house of Parliament, which would create about nine seats.
‘‘They need their voice,’’ she said.
‘‘They were the first people on the land in Australia so out of respect to them we should give them a quota,’’ she said.
Mr Mansell said he supported the idea and commended Senator Lambie, but said she should go even further than four per cent.
‘‘Four per cent isn’t going to make much difference,’’ Mr Mansell said.
He said party loyalties were a problem, and any seats created through the quota system should be independent of a political party.
‘‘It can be a clash of loyalties between their party and Aboriginal people,’’ he said.
Senator Lambie also hit back at Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania chairman and elder Clyde Mansell who said she should withdraw her claim of Aboriginality or provide evidence of her heritage.
‘‘I’m not going to fight for my rights, I know what’s in my blood,’’ she said.
Senator Lambie said she would be prepared to take a DNA test to settle the matter ‘‘once and for all’’.
But Mr Mansell said Senator Lambie had been ‘‘coached’’ on her claim to Aboriginality.
‘‘She doesn’t need to claim to be Aboriginal, she’s an elected senator, she’s doing the right thing by trying to represent those people who are marginalised and she’s come up with some good ideas,’’ he said.
‘‘All she needs to do is focus on that and forget her claims to being Aboriginal or otherwise.’’
Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion yesterday said he was not ruling out dedicated indigenous seats in federal parliament.
Senator Scullion said it appeared to be a way to gain better representation in Parliament and seemed to be a ‘‘quick and direct’’ plan.
However, it was more important to discuss it with indigenous Australians than politicians.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has also not ruled out the idea, at least until the government has had a chance to gauge public opinion.
