SENATOR NOVA PERIS OAM SENATOR FOR THE NORTHERN TERRITORY

MEDIA RELEASE CONSTITUTIONAL RECOGNITION AND RACIAL DISCRIMINATION CHANGES ARE INCOMPATIBLE Senator Nova Peris has written to the Prime Minister formally stating that she does not believe that the journey to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in the constitution can be completed while his Government is proposing changes to wea en the !acial "iscrimination Act# Senator Peris$ who is "eputy %hair of the &oint %ommittee into %onstitutional !ecognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders$ said that she believes that the Prime Minister is genuine in his support of recognition but his current proposal completely undermines that support# Senator Peris said that the proposed changes to the !acial "iscrimination Act stand in the way of progression towards recognition# Senator Peris said that she understood that some may see these as separate issues but that this was not the view of Aboriginal people and groups she had been tal ing to# 'oth issues clearly relate to the rights of Aboriginal people and both issues relate to mutual respect between Aboriginal and non(Aboriginal Australians# %onstitutional recognition is about coming together as a nation in unity# The Government)s proposed !acial "iscrimination changes only assist those who see to divide our community and our nation# The two issues cannot be treated separately# Senator Peris said that she had been conducting her own informal consultations with Aboriginal people on the process and the feedbac is clear that there is a very strong view that the changes to the !acial "iscrimination laws will ma e the path to constitutional recognition e*tremely difficult# The proposed changes to the !acial "iscrimination Act mean that it will no longer be unlawful to offend$ insult or humiliate someone based on their race or ethnicity# The Attorney General$ George 'randis$ has defended the changes by stating that they provide legislative protection for his belief that people do have a right to be a bigot. +hile Senator Peris believes that the Prime Minister is fully committed to the constitutional recognition process he needs to understand that his Government)s

proposed changes and the approach of his Attorney General are sabotaging meaningful discussions on %onstitutional !ecognition# Senator Peris said that the &oint %ommittee is about to underta e a consultation tour of Australia tal ing to people about their views on constitutional recognition but she fears that if this occurs at the same time as the racial discrimination laws are being amended then the process is doomed to failure# The impact on constitutional recognition is just one of many reasons the proposed changes to the !acial "iscrimination Act should be abandoned# This is not just an issue for Aboriginal Australians# ,undreds of community organisations right across Australia have stated their concerns# Senator Peris has re-uested that the Prime Minister abandon the changes to the !acial "iscrimination Act and continue to wor together as planned on constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people# If the Prime Minister decides to press ahead with the !acial "iscrimination Act changes as proposed then he is sabotaging his own stated support for constitutional recognition# THURSDAY, 24 APRIL 2014