Patrick Dodson (WA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders (Senate)) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to note that the opposition will not be proceeding with amendment (1) on sheet 8382, dealing with the question of indigeneity. The government has wisely made the decision to omit the definition of 'Indigenous person' in the bill, on the basis that the administrative definition, as it's known, is the one that's widely used. I don't think there's much more I need to say in relation to that.

On the longer-term question of how Indigenous peoples want to be defined and how they want to be known—this is a matter that we should be consulting First Nations peoples about, rather than retaining the colonial process of attributing definitions to First Nations peoples that go way back to the old 'stud book', as it was called, or the various other ways in which derogatory language was used in relation to First Nations people. I'm not going to embark on a history lesson in relation to that tonight, but, as my colleague Senator Macdonald said earlier, there is a need for us as a parliament to come to terms with this and to engage with First Nations peoples on how they wish to be identified. Secondly, we have to remove the concept of race. It's a big exercise—I understand that—and a huge legacy, but, as a mature nation that seeks to uphold international standards, we ought to be moving further towards a recognition of the common nature of our humanity, rather than distinguishing people on the basis of race.

Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 5) Bill 2017, as amended, agreed to; ASIC Supervisory Cost Recovery Levy Amendment Bill 2017 agreed to.

Treasury Laws Amendment (2017 Measures No. 5) Bill 2017 reported with an amendment; ASIC Supervisory Cost Recovery Levy Amendment Bill 2017 reported without requests; report adopted.