FED: Queens supports reconciliation Djerrkura

AAP General News (Australia)
12-24-1999
FED: Queens supports reconciliation Djerrkura

GATJIL DJERRKURA, the former chairman of Australia's peak indigenous body, ATSIC, has
told a newspaper that the Queen's committed to reconciliation between black and white
Australians.

Mr DJERRKURA, who remains a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission
despite being beaten in a ballot for the chairmanship last week, was a part of an indigenous
delegation to Buckingham Palace in October.

While observing the convention of not detailing audiences with the Queen, he was left
in no doubt about her commitment to reconciliation.

He told the Canberra Times the Queen supported the process of reconciliation.

But Mr DJERRKURA, who as ATSIC chairman had been a member of the Council for Aboriginal
Reconciliation, accused the government of not being committed to the Constitutional preamble
that failed at the referendum last month.

And he suggested Mr HOWARD similarly lacked commitment to the Council's document of
reconciliation which is to become a centre piece of the centenary of federation celebrations
in January 2001.

Mr HOWARD has already said he would not support an apology to Aboriginal children forcibly
removed from their families or recognise customary law.

AAP RTV rmg/as

KEYWORD: RECONCILE (CANBERRA)

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