Selma Milovanic

The Age
 
Indigenous groups say proposed changes to the native title law are racist and a throwback to the Howard era, and will reduce Aboriginal land rights to little more than a symbol after 10 years of struggle.

In submissions to a Senate inquiry into Native Title Amendment Bill 2, the nation's key indigenous bodies say the bill relies on a view that the constitution allows the making of laws that are detrimental to Aborigines, something a Labor opposition once said was ''morally repugnant, socially divisive and would endanger reconciliation''.

The federal government claims the proposed bill will help accelerate construction of urgently needed housing on land subject to native title, overcoming delay and uncertainty stemming from current rules.

The government says overcrowding in indigenous communities is unacceptable. It wants indigenous Australians to benefit as soon as possible from its $5.5 billion building program stretching over 10 years.

The proposed bill, the government says, strikes the right balance between the urgent need to provide housing and the protection of native title rights.

But in a submission echoed by many other indigenous bodies, the National Native Title Council said the bill relied on a view that a part of the constitution called ''the race power'' could enable the drafting of laws that detrimentally affect the rights of indigenous people.

Read more