Australian Ratification of International Labor Organisation Convention No. 169
AbstractA brief history of the Convention is provided. Why should Australia not ratify the Convention? Indigenous peoples were not formally represented in the Convention process, the Convention denies indigenous peoples the right of self determination, it does not require their consent to government measures affecting them, and it accords little status to indigenous laws and values, it is weak on land ownership and use, and it is generally paternalistic. However, it represents a significant step forward in a slow changing area of International Law. Adopting it will expand upon the rights of Australian Aborigines and may foster wider recognition of therights of Indigenous Peoples worldwide. It may provide a starting point for further advances. |