JOURNEY TO RECOGNITION CAMPAIGN

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (15:02): My question is to the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation. Will the minister inform the house about the Journey to Recognition campaign that recently passed through Adelaide?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (15:03): I thank the honourable member for his most excellent question. I guess it is not just because he was there at the march, but I am sure he has an ongoing and abiding interest in these matters—and if he didn't, his mother would certainly make sure that he did. Last weekend I had the pleasure, together with many members of this place—and both the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition in the other place—to join the many South Australians on the Journey to Recognition campaign.

The Hon. Kyam Maher has spoken about this campaign in this place previously, but for the benefit of everyone here today I can advise that the campaign, a division of Reconciliation Australia, was born out of the realisation that much more was needed to be done to bring about an awareness of the processes of recognition for Aboriginal people within our national constitution and to bring that awareness to the wider Australian public.

The Journey to Recognition began in Federation Square on 26 May, with former AFL footballer Michael Long taking the first few steps in honour of his long walk to Canberra in 2004 to visit the then prime minister of Australia. The Journey to Recognition, however, serves a different purpose: instead of walking to Canberra to talk to politicians, the journey is travelling all over Australia, talking to Australians in country towns and suburbs and cities, spreading the message of recognition and the campaign for a successful referendum outcome. As I have said previously, this campaign was born out of the realisation much more needed to occur to ensure the electorate was properly informed about the proposed referendum to recognise Aboriginal Australians in the constitution. Accordingly, the federal government has made the decision to delay the original date for the referendum in recognition that much more engagement and discussion within the Australian population is required to ensure the referendum becomes the success that we all hope it will be.

Nevertheless, as an interim step towards recognition the federal parliament passed the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People's Recognition Act in February 2013. In March this year we, in South Australia, passed the Constitution (Recognition of Aboriginal Peoples) Act 2013, which is a very similar piece of legislation. This act in South Australia recognised the Aboriginal people as our state's first inhabitants and it also recognised the inherent richness the collective Aboriginal communities provide to the cultural fabric of our state. I am sure every member of this chamber would agree that it was an incredibly rewarding process to be part of.

Nevertheless, if we are serious about the act of recognition, serious about proclaiming the identity of our Aboriginal peoples and serious about paying them the proper respect they deserve as our nation's first peoples, we need to alter the nation's constitution—Australia's most important rule book. As every member here knows, amending our national constitution is not an easy thing. There have only been a very few successful referenda in the past and, whilst we are all certainly confident about this reform passing, we need to make sure that every community and every Australian hears about the recognition campaign before they go to fill out their ballot paper in the referendum and that is what the Journey to Recognition walkers have done over the last few months—travelling from Federation Square across Victoria, into South Australia and step-by-step talking to people on a one-on-one basis.

The journey has passed through many South Australian country towns on the way—Bordertown, Keith, Tintinara, Tailem Bend, Murray Bridge and Stirling. On Sunday 30 June the journey made it to Adelaide where they walked right down King William Street and into the Festival Centre where a reception was held for their arrival. There was a great turnout. Walkers and supporters came out in their droves to support the Premier in Victoria Square, who had the pleasure of welcoming them to our city of Adelaide and thanking them for their very keen involvement and also for their blisters.

The journey is now, of course, heading towards Uluru. I am advised that that distance is not being covered by foot, that they will be taking some assistance through motor vehicle access to get up there, but will be passing through Port Augusta and Coober Pedy.

On behalf of most of us in this chamber, probably all of us, we want to congratulate the walkers on their efforts to date and wish them all the best as they continue to spread the message about why this referendum is so important and why we should all be voting yes. The government of South Australia stands by to lend the campaign support and I am sure members of this chamber will as well. I commend their efforts to the chamber.