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Submissions: Your Feedback

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Submission Number
1672
Participant
Andrew Goodman
Submission date

Andrew Goodman
(redacted) Griffin 4503, Queensland.

To whom it may concern

Submission for Co-design process

My name is Andrew Goodman and I am an Aboriginal man from Iningai country (Barcaldine) in the Central West of Queensland. I currently live in beautiful Gubbi Gubbi country in South East Queensland. I am a full time PhD candidate with the University of Queensland's School of Public Health currently in my second year. I spent over 13 years (prior to my academic journey) working within Indigenous Health, working alongside Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities throughout Queensland.

Why do you think the Uluru Statement from the Heart is important?
For me the Uluru Statement from the Heart is a vital step towards Australia becoming a true unified and patriotic country. Mandating the opportunity for our first nations countrymen and women to speak to Australia's proposed direction when relating to Indigenous peoples is a must and well over due. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, protocols, artwork, and language is of this place, and as such must be elevated to the highest level of commonwealth government decision making.

Why do you think Indigenous people should have a Voice to Parliament?
It is my belief and opinion that as a man I should not make decisions on a women's issues or propose solutions to issues, due to the fact that I am not a women and have no accountability to the decisions I make as it has little to no impact to me if it is successful or not. In this same vein how can non-Indigenous peoples make decisions on first nations issues or proposed solutions without the accountable direction of first nations peoples.

Why do you think it's important to enshrine the Voice to Parliament in the Constitution, rather than include it only in legislation?
So that this movement that is steeped in decades of advocacy and effort by so many is not just an 'add on' to established and 'grey area' legislation but moreover printed in the foundation of Australia's law.

Why do you think Australia needs a Voice to Parliament?
to hold decision makers accountable and instil a true democratic approach to population level decisions.

Thank you,
Andrew Goodman