THE National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observation Committee Week, or NAIDOC, for this year started on Sunday, July 5, and will end this Saturday, July 11.
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In Tenterfield, celebrations got underway with a morning tea at Moombahlene Local Aboriginal Land Council and will continue today with a free movie screening of ‘Charlies Country’ at the Tenterfield Cinema from 6.30pm.
While the country has kicked off their week of activities a debate around Indigenous recognition in the constitution has been playing out.
The road towards the long-promised constitutional referendum to acknowledge Indigenous Australians and remove racism from the nation's guiding document has begun.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott and opposition leader Bill Shorten met Indigenous leaders to map out a process for making changes to the constitution earlier this week.
Mr Abbott called the omission of Indigenous people in the constitution an “echoing silence” and said Australia was now “good enough, big enough and brave enough” to make recognition a reality.
A national “conversation” is to be held, with three initiatives announced on Monday.
There will be a series of up to 40 community conferences across the country over the coming year, starting in September, to discuss the issues – and before them a parliamentary discussion.
A Referendum Council, “broadly reflective of the Australian people”, will be set up to look at matters including how the question to be put to the people might be settled, timing, and constitutional issues.
Abbott hopes that by the middle of next year “we might be able to crystallise a consensus about how our constitution could change”.
Closer to home and Tenterfield will continue NAIDOC celebrations on Thursday with a local arts and crafts display and workshop at Tenterfield High School.
Organisers have planned for a Hip Hop workshop, SES display, Oztag competition, jumping castle, free barbecue, face painting and plenty more.
The day will run from 10am to 2pm and is open to everyone.