Fed: ATSIC head calls for bill of rights

AAP General News (Australia)
08-09-2000
Fed: ATSIC head calls for bill of rights

ATSIC chief GEOFF CLARK says Aborigines would not need to bring international attention
to their plight if there was a bill of rights.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission chairman has called for a bill
of rights to be put in place urgently.

He says formal legal recognition of the collective and individual rights of indigenous
people is necessary to ensure they maintain and develop their culture, languages and relationship
with the land, sea and resources.

Mr CLARK made the call on the International Day of the World's Indigenous People after
recently returning from Geneva, where he addressed a United Nations Human Rights Committee
and Canada, where he met with indigenous chiefs.

He says Australia is lagging behind Canada, the United States and New Zealand in its
failure to implement a bill of rights.

Mr CLARK says he's confident of support at next week's ATSIC board meeting which will
consider whether to force his resignation in the wake of rape charges against him.

AAP RTV mb/lm/mfh/dmc/jn

KEYWORD: ATSIC CLARK (CANBERRA)

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