KOCR2600IndigenousAustralia:AnIntroductionSID:312095104

Researchessay

Constitutionalsilence,whitenoise:puttingIndigenousoppositionto
theRecognisemovementfrontandcentre
CriticallyexaminethedebatesurroundingtherecognitionofAboriginaland
TorresStraitIslanderpeoplesintheAustralianConstitution.Towhatextent
couldconstitutionalrecognitionrepresentanactofselfdetermination?
SincetheYolnguandBininjclanspresentedKevinRuddwiththeYirrkalabark
petitioncallingforconstitutionalreformin2008,debatehasbeenongoingabout
changesthatcouldpotentiallybemadetotheAustralianConstitutionwithregards
toIndigenouspeople.In2013,PrimeMinisterTonyAbbottpledged$10millionin
fundingtoReconciliationAustraliatorebrandandrelaunchthethen
YouMeUnitycampaign.ThenewRecognisecampaign,underthesloganits
therightthingtodo,hastravelledaroundthecountrypromotingthebroad
conceptofrecognitionandclaimsonitswebsitealmost250,000supporters.1
However,therehasbeensubstantialoppositiontothecampaignfromIndigenous
communities,oppositionthatremainslargelyunrecognisedbythepolitical
mainstreamandactivelysilencedbytheRecognisecampaignanditsconservative
proponents.Here,IaimtochartandinvestigateIndigenousoppositiontothe
recognitionmovement.DecolonizationofAustralianpoliticaldiscourserequires
thecenteringofIndigenousvoicesandaspirations,notleastofwhichare
passionateandsustainedargumentsforselfdeterminationandsovereigntyItake
thisasamethodologicalstartingpointinthispaper.Ianalysethepointsatwhich
recognition(atleast,intheprovisionalformproposedbytheExpertPanel)comes
intoconflictwiththeseaspirations,andarguethatthetotalisingrhetoricemployed
bytherecognitionmovementcreatesafundamentalnegationofIndigenous
consent,silencingoppositionandmakingconstitutionalrecognitionmore
plausiblyreadasanactofforcedassimilationintothecolonialnationstatethanan
actofselfdetermination.
BeforelaunchingintoanalysisoftheRecognisecampaignandIndigenous
oppositiontoit,itisimportanttogroundthisanalysisinthehistoricalcontextof
Indigenouspoliticaldiscourseanditsrelationshiptopolicymeasures.Larissa
Behrendtdocumentsvariousconceptionsofselfdeterminationandsovereignty,
twotermsthathavebeenfrequentlyemployedtogivevoicetoIndigenous
aspirations.2Shearguesthatsovereigntyandselfdeterminationentailalistof
claims,oftenincludingclaimstotheprotectionofcustomarypracticesandlaws,
recognitionofhistoricalownershipofland,equalityunderthelaw,andrecognition
ofdistinctculturalcharacter,languagesandcustomarylaw.3Attheheartofclaims
toselfdeterminationistherightofAboriginalpeopletonegotiatewith
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KOCR2600IndigenousAustralia:AnIntroductionSID:312095104
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governmentondecisionsthataffecttheircommunities.AsPatrickDodsonwrites,
Aboriginalpeopleshavetherighttoparticipateinlawandpolicymakingandin
decisionsthataffectusgovernmentsshallobtainourconsentbeforeadopting
theselawsandpolicies.4Thus,substantiveselfdeterminationisenabledbytaking
seriouslytheperspectivesofIndigenouscommunities,centeringIndigenousvoices
andaspirations,and,attheveryleast,obtainingconsentbeforeimplementing
legislationthataffectsAboriginalpeople.ItisfromthisstandpointthatIwill
analysethepoliticalrhetoricoftheRecognisecampaignandthevariousclaims
madebyIndigenousfolkinoppositiontoit.
In2008,theYolngupeoplehandedabarkpetitiontothenPrimeMinisterRudd,
demandingfullrecognitionofIndigenousrightsintheAustralianConstitution.5
Twoyearslater,thegovernmentannouncedthemembershipoftheExpertPanel
onConstitutionalRecognitionofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderPeoples.
Thepanel,cochairedbyMarkLeiblerandProfessorPatrickDodson,wastasked
withconsultingcommunitiesaroundthecountry,anddelivereda300pagereport
in2012.ThereportstatedthatbetweenMayandOctober2011,thePanelheld
morethan250consultations,withmorethan4600attendees,andthattherewas
widespreadsupportfortheideaofrecognisingAboriginalandTorresStrait
Islanderpeoplesintheconstitution.6However,thereissomeevidenceagainstthe
unanimityclaimedbyRecognise.MeganDavis,inherresponsetoNoelPearsons
September2014QuarterlyEssay,reflectsonthesevisitstocommunitiesasa
memberoftheExpertPanel:
Mostofuswerestruckbyhowaliveandpresentthisverycomplexquestion
ofsovereigntyandapostcolonialsettlementwas.Itwasalsocleartothe
panelthatoneofthereasonsforthecurrentmovementtowardsrecognition
wasnotaburningdesiretoberecognisedbyAustraliabuttoameliorate
theunintended(orintended)consequencesiofthedraftingofthe1967
amendment.7
ChrisGraham,journalistandeditorofNewMatilda,echoedthissentimentina
panelforMelbourneConversations,sayingthatinhisexperiencespeakingto
ATSIpeople,manyareagainsttheideaofconstitutionalreform:symbolically,
constitutionalreformisassimilation,thatscertainlyhowitisseenbyagreat
manyAboriginalpeople.8Itisilluminatingsimplytocomparetheabovefigureof
peopleconsultedbytheRecognisecampaign(4600)tothenumberoflikes(from
iThemajorconsequenceofthesuccessful1967referendumwasthattheFederal

Governmentbecameabletomakespeciallawspertainingtoraces,includingAboriginal
people,fortheirbenefitortheirdetriment.However,theamendmentstotheConstitution
erasedanyreferencetoAboriginalpeople.Althoughthereisnoconcreteproposalforthe
changestobemadeinafuturereferendum,RecogniserecommendsthatSection25(the
racepower)shouldberemoved,andthatanewsection51Aand127Ashouldbeadded
torecognizeAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoplesandlanguages. 1

KOCR2600IndigenousAustralia:AnIntroductionSID:312095104
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bothIndigenousandnonIndigenousfollowers)ontheIndigenousledVoteNO
toConstitutionalChangeFacebookpage(5679,asof18May2015).9
SoalthoughtherecertainlyseemstobeasubstantialundercurrentofIndigenous
oppositiontoconstitutionalrecognition,thesevoicesareconsistentlyrelegatedto
themarginsofpublicdiscourse.Thisispartlyafunctionofthedisparityin
economicandsocialcapitalbetweenthetwogroupsinvolvedononeside,a
groupofprominentIndigenousandnonIndigenousAustralianswith$10million
ingovernmentfunding10;ontheother,agroupofgrassrootscommunityactivists,
mostwithlittlefundingandaccesstomainstreammediaplatforms.CelesteLiddle
asks:
WhyaretheantivoicesfromanIndigenousperspectivestuckutilising
socialmediatotryandraiseawarenesswithmeagremediacoverage,while
Recognisegetscopiousfundingtotravelaroundthecountryforphoto
opportunities?Exactlyhowdemocraticallyethicalisitthatthe
governmentisonlyfundinganorganisationthatpromotesitsownpolicy
platform?11
Despitethestarkdifferencesinmaterialresourcesbetweenthetwosidesofthe
debate,Recognisenonethelessbrandsitselfasgrassrootsandapeoples
movementtogarnerlegitimacyintheeyesofprogressives.12Italsoemploys
arguablythemostprominentandconservativeIndigenousvoicesonitsExpert
PanelMarciaLangtonandNoelPearson,amongothers.Academicand
journalisticworkbythesesameindividualsareleveragedtopromotethecampaign
andjustifyitsclaimsofIndigenoussupportfortheproject.iiHowever,Ibelieve
thatthewayinwhichRecogniseusesthesefigurestostandinforAboriginaland
TorresStraitIslanderpeoplesingeneralhomogenisesthediversearrayof
standpointswithinthisgroupofpeople,andfailstoengageseriouslywithanti
recognitiondiscourse,perpetuatingreductive,monolithicdefinitionsof
Aboriginality.Forexample,inthebookEverythingYouNeedtoKnowAboutthe
ReferendumtoRecogniseIndigenousAustralians13(promotedbyRecognise),
thereisnotonementionofIndigenousoppositiontothecampaign.Recogniseuses
vagueandtotalisingtermslikeequality,fairnessandrespect,but
fundamentallyfailstoacknowledgethatIndigenouspeoplearemakingdiverse,
iiItisworthnotingthedifferentlevelsofaccessthatconservativevoicesandgrassroots

Indigenousactivistshavetoacademicspaces.Thestructureoftheacademyissuchthat
academicdisciplinesandapproachestoscholarshipareculturallybiasedandhegemonic
inconfrontationwithIndigenousplacebasedknowledge.Aboriginalpeoplein
universitiesexperienceacultureclashthatoftenoccursatthedeepestlevelsof
assumptionsaboutrealityandepistemology.24Forthisreason,someIndigenousfolkfeel
alienatedbythehegemonicwhitenatureofacademia,andthosewithmoreconservative
perspectivesarewelcomedmorereadily.Tothisend,Ihaveusedsourcesfromnews
websites,videosandsocialmediatochartgrassrootsIndigenousresistancetothe
Recognisecampaign.

KOCR2600IndigenousAustralia:AnIntroductionSID:312095104
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legitimateandsustainedclaimsagainsttheideaofconstitutionalrecognition.This
colonisationofdiscursivespaceupholdsthesupremacyofthewhitevoice,
underminingtherighttonegotiationanddiscussioncentraltoBehrendts
definitionofselfdetermination.
ReturningtotheissueofconsentraisedbyPatrickDodson,thewayinwhichthe
RecognisecampaignhasbeenconductedandthesideliningofIndigenous
concernsaboutthevalueofrecognitionraisesseriousquestionsabouttheethicsof
thecampaignandtheextenttowhichitupholdsthevalueofIndigenousself
determination.Inparticular,Ibelievethatthedebatecallsintoquestionthe
appropriatenessofthereferendumasaforumfordeterminingwhetherornotthe
constitutionshouldbereformedtoincludeIndigenouspeople.AsCelesteLiddle
rightfullystates,whetherindigenouspeoplethemselveswishtoberecognisedin
theconstitutionshouldbeattheheartofthisdiscussion.14However,the
discussion,asledbyRecognise,isinsteaddeterminedtoreifyitsconceptionof
unanimous,bipartisansupport.IftheproposalsoftheExpertPanelgotoa
referendum,theAustralianpublicwillvoteonthisissuelargelyinformedbythe
rhetoricoftheRecognisecampaign.However,Indigenousconsenttothechanges
simplycannotbegaugedbyareferendum,duetowhatNoelPearsonnamesasthe
problemofthe3percentmouseandthe97percentelephant.15Indigenouspeople
makeupaverysmallminorityoftheAustralianpopulation,meaningthatevenif
allIndigenouspeoplevotedagainstrecognition,thereferendumcouldeasilystill
succeed.Afactoftensubmergedintheelationofthe1967referendumwasthatthe
highestproportionoftheNovotewasinregionalareaswithlargelyIndigenous
populations.16Tothisend,MeganDavisasksus,willAustraliaacceptthatone
possibleoutcomeisthatAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderpeoplesmight
politelydeclinetheofferofrecognition?17Theanswertothisquestion
unfortunatelyseemstobenegative.Thereissomethingaboutconstitutional
recognitionthatexcitestheWhiteAustralianimaginationgreatly.Nicholas
RothwellwroteinTheAustralianthatthereseemstobeanurgentdesireofthe
politicalclassforasingleanswertotheindigenousquestion.18Perhaps
constitutionalrecognitionhasbecometheSorryofthisdecadeasymbolicact
ofreconciliation,engineeredtoappeasewhiteguiltandbolsterclaimsto
multiculturaltolerancewithoutcommittingthegovernmenttoanypracticalor
substantialaction.
Whilesymbolismalsoundoubtedlyplaysanimportantroleinthetwinprocesses
ofhealinganddecolonization,someIndigenousfolkquestionthesymbolicvalue
ofconstitutionalrecognitioninacontemporaryAustralianpoliticalcontext.
GhillarMichaelAnderson,leaderoftheEuahlayitribeinnorthwesternNSWand
spokespersonoftheNationalUnityGovernment,viewstheconstitutionasa
profoundlyracistdocumentandreiteratesthattheonlyconstitutionalchange
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desiredbytheSovereignUnionmovementistheintroductionofabindingtreaty.19
RosalieKunothMonks,speakingtoNewMatilda,expressedasimilarview:
Idonotcomefromthatconstitution,norwillIbeswallowedupintoit
whilethebrutalassaultisgoingonwithmyownconstitution.My
constitutionisunwritten,butmygoodnessitsthere.20
Ifacountrysconstitutionperformsthesymbolicroleofexpressingtheshared
beliefsandaspirationsofthepopulation,then,somehaveargued,constitutional
recognitionofIndigenouspeoplesundertheguiseofequalityisdisingenuousin
acontextofongoingcolonialoppression.LesMalezerandKirstieParker,co
chairsoftheNationalCongressofAustraliasFirstPeoples,listedintheir
statementtotheJointSelectCommitteeonconstitutionalreformthevarious
ongoinginjusticesfacedbyIndigenouspeoplesinAustralia.Inthecontextof
escalatingratesofchildremoval,imprisonmentofAboriginalyouth,miningof
Aboriginallandwithoutconsentandhighratesofunemployment,theCongress
writes,theyarealreadyreceivingmessagesfrom[Indigenous]peoplethatthey
aredeterminedtovoteagainstanyreferendum.21CelesteLiddlesimilarlywrites
fortheGuardian,wewillalwaysquestionthemotivesofgovernmentswhotalk
oftheimportanceofourrightsononehand,yetattempttostripourrightson
another.22Evidently,thereisafairamountofscepticismamongstIndigenous
peopleaboutthevalueofapurelysymbolicchangetotheConstitution,when
similaractionsinthepast(forexample,the2008Apology)havenotbeen
accompaniedbyanyconcretechangesinthelivesandconditionsofIndigenous
people.Indeed,debatesaboutthesesymbolicstatementshaveoftenoccurred
synchronouslywithsomeofthemostdestructiveandracistpolicymeasuresin
AustraliashistoryRuddapologisingwhilethegovernmentplunderedNT
communitiesundertheNorthernTerritoryNationalEmergencyResponseAct
2007iii,andtheRecognisecampaignatthesametimeasWesternAustralianLNP
PremierColinBarnettthreatens150remotecommunitiesinWesternAustralia
withclosure.Aboriginalpeoplehavethusquestionedthelegitimacyofthe
symbolicclaimsoftheRecognisecampaign,showingthatasymbolicactof
iiiTheNTERhasbeenwidelycriticizedbybothIndigenousandnonIndigenousscholars

forexample,JohnAltmandescribestheInterventionasneopaternalist,imposed
withoutconsultation,topdown,racist,nondiscretionary,disempoweringandnowhere
implementedinitstotality.25TheimplicationsoftheInterventionsince2007havebeen
welldocumented,forexampleinareportbytheAboriginalandTorresStraitIslander
SocialJusticeCommissionpublishedin2012.Thereportfoundthatunemploymenthas
risenduetotheclosureofCommunityDevelopmentEmploymentProjects,andthe
incidenceofIndigenousyouthsuicideintheNTincreasedby160%between20012005
and20062010.Thereportnoted,weknowthatfeelingsofhopelessnessand
disempowermentcontributetovulnerabilitytosuicide.Thesetypesoffeelingsarewell
documentedandwidelyacknowledgedsymptomsofthelocalgovernmentreformsandthe
Intervention.Inadditiontomentalhealthproblems,violence,ratesofchildremovaland
overcrowdinginhousinghavealsoincreased.26

KOCR2600IndigenousAustralia:AnIntroductionSID:312095104
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recognitioncouldpotentiallydomoreharmthangoodthroughobscuring
governmentatrocitiesbehindasmokescreenofreconciliation.

IhaveexaminedthesupposedlybipartisanRecognisecampaign,andexposedthe
waysinwhichthetotalisingrhetoricofequalityandunityservetosilence
criticalIndigenousperspectives.Furtherinvestigationofsuchperspectives
underminestheclaimsofunanimoussupportmadebyRecognise,andthrowsinto
seriousdoubttheideathatIndigenousconsenthasbeenreceivedforconstitutional
reform.Iquestionedtheappropriatenessofreferendumforobtainingsuchconsent,
giventhestatisticalimbalanceofIndigenousandnonIndigenousAustraliansand
thetotalisingnatureofdiscoursearoundrecognition.Acommitmenttothe
principleofselfdeterminationrequirestheforegroundingofIndigenous
perspectives,manyofwhichhavestatedclearlythattheydonotdesiretobe
includedintheConstitution.ForthesereasonsIbelievethatconstitutional
recognitionisnotanimportantsymbolicact,northefirststeptotreatyoreven
neutralwithregardstotheissuesofsovereigntyandtreaty,asclaimedby
EverythingYouNeedtoKnow23.InsofarastheRecognisemovementcolonises
discursivespacebysilencingIndigenousvoices,constitutionalrecognition
representsanonconsensualactofassimilationintothelegalstructuresofthe
colonialnationstate,servingtomasktheongoingviolenceofthegovernment
towardsIndigenouspeople.

KOCR2600IndigenousAustralia:AnIntroductionSID:312095104
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Notes

1RECOGNISE2015,HomepageRECOGNISEcampaignwebsite,ReconciliationAustralia,viewed
15April2015,http://www.recognise.org.au/
2Behrendt,L2003,Indigenousaspirations:thestartingpointforrightsprotection,inAchieving
SocialJustice:IndigenousRightsandAustraliasFuture(pp.89117).Sydney:FederationPress.
3Ibid,pp.9092.
4Dodson,P1999,Lingiari:UntiltheChainsareBroken,inM.Grattan(ed.),EssaysonAustralian
Reconciliation.Melbourne:BlackInc.
5AustralianGovernment2009,Barkpetitions:IndigenousartandreformfortherightsofIndigenous
Australians.AustralianStories,viewed24May2015,http://www.australia.gov.au/about
australia/australianstory/barkpetitionsindigenousart
6ExpertPanelonConstitutionalRecognitionofAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderPeoples2012,
RecognisingAboriginalandTorresStraitIslanderPeoplesintheConstitution,Canberra.p.7,66.
7Davis,M2014,Correspondance,QuarterlyEssay,vol.56,pp.7778.
8MelbourneConversations2015,ConstitutionalRecognitionofAustraliasFirstPeoples[videofile],
viewed1May2015,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytewert3sEc
9VoteNOtoConstitutionalChange2015,Facebookpage,viewed18May2015,
https://www.facebook.com/VotenoToConstitutionalChange?fref=ts
10AustralianGovernment2013,ContinuedfundingforReconciliationAustralia,PrimeMinisterJulia
Gillard,viewed18May2015,http://pmtranscripts.dpmc.gov.au/browse.php?did=19039
11Liddle,C2014,IdontwantyourRecognisecampaignitsnothingbutasham.TheGuardian
Australia,18August.Viewed21April2015,
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/aug/18/idontwantyourrecognisecampaignits
nothingbutasham
12RECOGNISE2015,WhatistheRECOGNISEcampaign?ReconciliationAustralia,viewed15April
2015,http://www.recognise.org.au/about/whatisrecognise
13Davis,M.&Williams,G2015,EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAbouttheReferendumtoRecognise
IndigenousAustralians.Sydney:NewSouthPublishing.
14Liddle,C2014,Correspondance,QuarterlyEssay,vol.56,pp.87.
15Pearson,N2014,Arightfulplace.QuarterlyEssay,vol.55,p.40.
16Davis,M.&Williams,G2015,EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAbouttheReferendumtoRecognise
IndigenousAustralians.Sydney:NewSouthPublishing,pp.4143
17Davis,M2014,Correspondance,QuarterlyEssay,56,p.81.
18Rothwell,N2014,AdecadeafterATSICwasaxed,Aborigines[sic]stillhavelittlesay.The
Australian,27September.Viewed18May2015,http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/adecade
afteratsicwasaxedaboriginesstillhavelittlesay/storye6frg6zo1227071962303
19Anderson,M2012,ASovereignTreatyistheonlyconstitutionalreformwiththepotentialof
justiceforAboriginalNationsandPeoples.NationalUnityGovernment,23June.Viewed4May2015,
http://nationalunitygovernment.org/content/sovereigntreatyonlyconstitutionalreformpotential
justiceaboriginalnationsandpeoples
20McQuire,A2014,IwillnotbeswallowedupintotheConstitution:RosalieKunothMonks.
NewMatilda,2December.Viewed26April2015,https://newmatilda.com/2014/12/02/iwillnotbe
swallowedconstitutionrosaliekunothmonks
21Malezer,L&Parker,K2015,CochairsstatementtotheJointSelectCommittee.National
CongressofAustraliasFirstPeoples,20February.Viewed18May2015,
http://nationalcongress.com.au/statementtothejointselectcommittee/

22 Liddle,C2015,BairdcallsonstatestosupportIndigenousrecognition.Butwhatdifferencewillit
make?TheGuardianAustralia,15January.Viewed4April2015,
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/15/bairdcallsonstatestosupport
indigenousrecognitionbutwhatdifferencewillitmake23Davis,M&Williams,G2015,
EverythingYouNeedtoKnowAbouttheReferendumtoRecogniseIndigenousAustralians.Sydney:
NewSouthPublishing.pp.120125
23 24Marker,M2004,TheoriesandDisciplinesasSitesofStruggle:TheReproductionofColonial
DominanceThroughtheControllingofKnowledgeintheAcademy,CanadianJournalofNative
Education,Vol.28(1/2),pp.102110.25Altman,J2007,TheHowardGovernmentsNorthern
TerritoryIntervention:AreNeoPaternalismandIndigenousDevelopmentCompatible?,Centerfor
AboriginalEconomicPolicyResearch,Canberra.p.12
26
AustralianHumanRightsCommission2012,SocialJusticeReport2012,Sydney.p.158