RECONCILIATION

The People's Movement In NSW

Going Forward: Social Justice for the First Australians

In 1994, the then Federal Government wrote to the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation requesting a report on appropriate measures to advance the cause of social justice for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Following extensive consultation with Indigenous communities and organisations throughout Australia, the Council prepared submissions to the Government in early 1995. The Council's submission, entitled Going Forward: Social Justice for the First Australians, documented the outcomes of the consultation process and put forward 78 recommendations for consideration by government, covering a wide range of social justice issues relevant to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

The full text of the Council's submission was distributed widely to organisations, sectors, interest groups and individuals throughout Australia.

A Summary Version published in August 1996, adheres closely to the structure of the Council's 1995 submission and provides an abridged summary of the text of the submission, and the complete text of all recommendations.

It's Contents are:

• Introduction
• The Role of the Government in Social Justice
• What is Social Justice?
• Structures of Rights for Indigenous Peoples
• Giving a Commitment and Setting a Time Frame
• Recognition and Empowerment
• The Australian Constitution
• Consultation on Constitutional issues
• Constitutional Prohibition of Discrimination on the Grounds of Race
• Documents of Reconciliation
• Indigenous Participation in the Structure of Government
• Compensation
• Regional Agreements
• Issues for Social Justice
• Custody Levels
• Indigenous Women
• Education for the Legal Profession
• Appropriate Technology
• Communication and Negotiation Structures
• Community Property Title
• Education on Indigenous Issues
• Commonwealth Development and Construction Issues
• Getting a Fair Share
• Triennial Funding
• Grants Commission Processes
• Cultural Integrity and Heritage Protection
• Access to Land
• Protection of Indigenous Designs and Cultural Knowledge
• Customary Law
• Displaced Persons
• Recognition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Flags
• Date of Australia Day
• Economic Development
• Exploitation of Native Flora and Fauna
• Indigenous Business and Employment Creation
• Vesting of Housing Assets
• Future Processes

Note: The full text of each sector can be found on www.austlii.edu.au/ where all of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation Reports are archived.