DEAR News Of The Area,

PETER Weyling’s thoughtful letter (Voice to Parliament, 16 December 2022) struck a chord with me. It is true that in members of parliament like Linda Burnie and Pat Dodson we have impeccable statespersons.

It is also true that having a voice at the table is a long held and long deferred dream.

Tom Calma, Chancellor of Canberra University, laid it out clearly on the ABC recently, saying that to date First Australians have been passive participants in policies laid out for them.

The present plan is to have an advisory body made up of two nominated indigenous people from each state, ensuring their active participation in the formulation of policy, however there is to be no power of veto.

Whereas change from within is nearly always best, the positive moves of the present government could be swept away at the next election, hence the necessity to have the changes embedded in the constitution.

This is the chance for a wrong to be righted, and I doubt that anyone who cares about justice would object.

Regards
Margaret England
Toormina