Jessica Mauboy, Miranda Tapsell and Samantha Harris have graced the cover of this month’s Marie Claire magazine to call for the Indigenous people to be acknowledged in the Australian constitution.
Next year (2020) will mark 250 years since Captain Cook’s first voyage to Australia, and here we are two-and-a-half centuries later and Indigenous people still aren’t acknowledged in the constitution.
We can be quick to forget just how much Indigenous Australians are still let down by our country to this day, but the fact that they are still not recognised by the constitution that is meant to represent all Australians is frankly disgusting.
We must do better.
This month’s issue of Marie Claire not only shares three incredible Indigenous women on its cover, but also tells their story of why Indigenous constitutional recognition matters to them.
“For me, Indigenous constitutional recognition would mean freedom,” Jessica Mauboy said, likening Indigenous recognition in the constitution to banning the climb and removing the chain at Uluru.
“It makes my blood boil that we’re the only [major] Commonwealth country that doesn’t have a treaty with its Indigenous people,” model Samantha Harris said. “It’s been 250 years; it really is time.”
Meanwhile, Top End Wedding actress Miranda Tapsell focussed on the fact that Australians can fix the issue if they’re willing to prioritise it.
“Australians have the power to fix this, but they have to make it a priority. As a result of a very short-sighted view of history, most non-Aboriginal citizens forget that the structures on which the colonial parliament was built were never designed to see us. It erased the nation’s first people. Real change doesn’t happen unless everyone pushes for it.”
February’s cover was shared on Instagram on Sunday where it received an overwhelmingly positive response, raking in nearly 5,000 likes and 200 comments.
The February issue of Marie Claire focusses on the call for reform known as the Uluru Statement From The Heart.
The Uluru Statement From The Heart was released on May 26, 2017 after a four-day First Nations National Constitutional Convention at Uluru.
The 12-paragraph statement is directed at the Australian public, rather than the Parliament, asking the Australian people to change the constitution to allow Indigenous voices in policies and laws made about First Nations people.
To put an extremely complex, serious issue simply, delegates are fighting for substantial reform that will actually make a difference to First Nations people, rather than just symbolic recognition.
In addition to supporting Indigenous representation and diversity in media and fashion, Marie Claire is urging readers to use the hashtag #ItsTime on social media to show their support.
The magazine has shared an easy to digest explainer on the Uluru Statement From The Heart, as well as stories explaining why constitutional recognition is important to each of the cover stars. They’ve also written a bunch of other stories to help readers understand the importance of this month’s cover story.
Readers can send their support via email to the magazine to be compiled and delivered to parliament on behalf of all readers.
Marie Claire’s February issue is on sale now. You can also support the cause at www.ulurustatement.org, or by using the hashtag #itstime.
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