Return of land in sights for Tasmanian Aboriginals

Under the proposed national treaty, an elected national Aboriginal body and designated seats in Parliament would also be established within the next couple of years.

These were among the issues discussed at the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre in Launceston on Wednesday.

The discussions marked the first of a series of meetings held nationwide to discuss the impact of the Uluru proposals, from First Nations National Convention for Constitutional Recognition held last month, on Aboriginals.

Tasmanian delegate Michael Mansell, who attended the convention last month, said the practical next steps for delegates and the prospective treaty would also be discussed with local Aboriginal people.

The treaty would be the biggest change Australia was likely to deal with since Native Title and Mabo decision in 1992, Mr Mansell said.

“A treaty would enable Australian and Tasmanians to continue exactly as they are now, people keep their houses, their jobs, their lifestyles,” Mr Mansell said.

“But where the Tasmanian Government could not show it was vital for the survival of the Tasmanian Government to keep certain lands or control certain activities Aboriginal people are affected by, then the treaty would take those things and hand them over to Aboriginal people.”

Mr Mansell did not anticipate Tasmania would look any different under the treaty.

“Aboriginal people would have the tools through which we can turn around the fortunes of our communities.”

A policy statement, detailing the treaty, was “the most significant thing to come out of Uluru” with 250 delegates from across Australia, including 10 delegates from Tasmania standing behind the policy, Mr Mansell said.

The policy, which will reach the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition later this month, could also mean three per cent of the gross domestic product would flow from the Federal Government directly to the new national body, he said.

If it was agreed upon, the parts of the policy could be underway within months.

One of the immediate benefits was the return of the Aboriginal legal service to Tasmania after it was relocated to the mainland, he said.

“Suddenly, we would have control over Aboriginal heritage, instead of that being in the hands of the Tasmanian Government.”

Mr Mansell hoped this would enable partnerships between indigenous people, local government and tourism operators to be established which would protect and showcase Aboriginal heritage in a sustainable way.

The establishment of designated seats in Parliament would remove a compromising situation for Aboriginals who signed up to a political party, he said.

“What we want is to elect Aboriginal people to Parliament and those elected parliamentarians are answerable directly to the Aboriginal constituents.”