Aboriginal Constitutional Recognition

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (14:52): Supplementary question arising out of the answer: hasn't the minister already gone on record saying that he hoped to have finalised the first of the treaties with one of the Aboriginal nations before the end of the year? If that's the case, doesn't that presuppose that he has determined the model, and that is separate treaties with separate Aboriginal nations?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Employment, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister for Manufacturing and Innovation, Minister for Automotive Transformation, Minister for Science and Information Economy) (14:52): I thank the honourable member for his question. I think there was a question put to me in an interview in December on: if we were going down a model of treaties with individual nations, how quickly would we like to move? My response is: I would like to move as quickly as we possibly can, involving Aboriginal people in those decision-making processes. If it was treaties with individual nations, it would be good to complete one this year.