UNITY within the Aboriginal community is essential to progressing constitutional recognition and land hand-backs. Disputes over Aboriginality was at the heart of a federal government decision to strip the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre of millions of dollars in funding to run the Aboriginal Legal Service. The office of Attorney-General George Brandis claimed the TAC had limited recognition of Aboriginal people in providing the service. Allegations that Indigenous Tasmanians have been denied access to justice and legal representation by the TAC are deeply concerning. Former legal director Michael Mansell said the AG's department had always told the TAC it was doing the right thing, until three weeks before the end of the financial year. The federal government says concerns had been raised with the TAC "on many occasions". The Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation and other Indigenous Tasmanians have described the hurt and frustration of not being recognised by the TAC, but being accepted as Aborigines federally. The test of Aboriginality on a state level is much more stringent. Earlier this year, Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania chairman Clyde Mansell expressed concern at "tick-a-box" and "wannabe Aborigines". Mr Mansell said people had been "beating the system", and there were too many processes for determining Aboriginality. Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie claims there could be up to 16,000 unrecognised Indigenous Tasmanians. The TAC's stance on Aboriginality is that a person must show that their families, from every generation back to tribal, have always maintained their connection with being Aboriginal. The group has hit out at the CHAC in the past for being run by people "with no Aboriginal ancestry at all". Disputes on the mainland over entitlement to certain areas of land by different peoples is not uncommon, but it would be rare to see one group publicly dispute the other's Aboriginality. The TAC this week acknowledged there had been debate over recognition and said it had agreed with the government to change the way it did business. Despite this, the contract has gone to the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service. Fresh eyes and greater access to the service can only be a good thing, but it would be terrible to lose the four decades of experience the TAC has in managing the service. The new service should incorporate as much as possible. It could be argued that true leadership could have been shown from the federal government by helping the TAC unify the service. Premier Will Hodgman last week said a treaty with the Aboriginal people was inevitable, and foreshadowed more land hand-backs. It's hard to see how this can be successfully progressed until the divisions within the Indigenous community are healed. In order for the non-Indigenous community to embrace a treaty or constitutional recognition, they must see our first Tasmanians united. The division only allows cynical politicians to exploit the differences between them to claim support for certain policies. Effort should be made to unite the first Tasmanians so Indigenous rights can be progressed. Because, while the infighting continues, it will be too easy to dismiss their concerns by placing them in the too-hard basket.
UNITY within the Aboriginal community is essential to progressing constitutional recognition and land hand-backs.
Disputes over Aboriginality was at the heart of a federal government decision to strip the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre of millions of dollars in funding to run the Aboriginal Legal Service.
The office of Attorney-General George Brandis claimed the TAC had limited recognition of Aboriginal people in providing the service.
Allegations that Indigenous Tasmanians have been denied access to justice and legal representation by the TAC are deeply concerning.
Former legal director Michael Mansell said the AG's department had always told the TAC it was doing the right thing, until three weeks before the end of the financial year.
The federal government says concerns had been raised with the TAC "on many occasions".
The Circular Head Aboriginal Corporation and other Indigenous Tasmanians have described the hurt and frustration of not being recognised by the TAC, but being accepted as Aborigines federally.
The test of Aboriginality on a state level is much more stringent.
Earlier this year, Aboriginal Land Council of Tasmania chairman Clyde Mansell expressed concern at "tick-a-box" and "wannabe Aborigines".
Mr Mansell said people had been "beating the system", and there were too many processes for determining Aboriginality.
Independent Senator Jacqui Lambie claims there could be up to 16,000 unrecognised Indigenous Tasmanians.
The TAC's stance on Aboriginality is that a person must show that their families, from every generation back to tribal, have always maintained their connection with being Aboriginal.
The group has hit out at the CHAC in the past for being run by people "with no Aboriginal ancestry at all".
Disputes on the mainland over entitlement to certain areas of land by different peoples is not uncommon, but it would be rare to see one group publicly dispute the other's Aboriginality.
The TAC this week acknowledged there had been debate over recognition and said it had agreed with the government to change the way it did business.
Despite this, the contract has gone to the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service.
Fresh eyes and greater access to the service can only be a good thing, but it would be terrible to lose the four decades of experience the TAC has in managing the service.
The new service should incorporate as much as possible.
It could be argued that true leadership could have been shown from the federal government by helping the TAC unify the service.
Premier Will Hodgman last week said a treaty with the Aboriginal people was inevitable, and foreshadowed more land hand-backs.
It's hard to see how this can be successfully progressed until the divisions within the Indigenous community are healed.
In order for the non-Indigenous community to embrace a treaty or constitutional recognition, they must see our first Tasmanians united.
The division only allows cynical politicians to exploit the differences between them to claim support for certain policies.
Effort should be made to unite the first Tasmanians so Indigenous rights can be progressed.
Because, while the infighting continues, it will be too easy to dismiss their concerns by placing them in the too-hard basket.
