A highly debated bill defining Tasmanian Aboriginality passed the state Upper
House, the second of two Tasmanian legislative chambers, on June 16. The bill
requires residents voting in Aboriginal Land Council elections to provide proof
of their Aboriginal ancestry, self-identification of Aboriginality, and recognition
status from an Aboriginal community. The Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre (TAC), which
runs community programs that help indigenous peoples in legal, health, child
care, and dental services, hailed the bill as a victory, reported ABC News
Online.
Unsure of the bill’s ultimate effects, Tasmanian Legislative Council member Paul Harriss, along with others from Aboriginal communities, were upset that more dispersed Aboriginal communities had not been consulted about the law. They expressed concern that the TAC would control too much of the Aboriginal identity debate, reported the Hobart Mercury.
