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Tony Abbott may cut short election pledge Arnhem Land visit | Tony Abbott may cut short election pledge Arnhem Land visit |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Tony Abbott has raised the possibility of cutting short his promised week-long trip to Arnhem Land to engage with Indigenous people due to Australia’s developing involvement in conflict in Iraq – possibly breaking an election commitment. | Tony Abbott has raised the possibility of cutting short his promised week-long trip to Arnhem Land to engage with Indigenous people due to Australia’s developing involvement in conflict in Iraq – possibly breaking an election commitment. |
The prime minister, who is negotiating a time frame for Indigenous recognition in the constitution, said he could leave earlier than his planned departure on Friday but he expected to have the referendum time frame worked out in the coming days. | The prime minister, who is negotiating a time frame for Indigenous recognition in the constitution, said he could leave earlier than his planned departure on Friday but he expected to have the referendum time frame worked out in the coming days. |
Indigenous leaders, including Warren Mundine, Noel Pearson and Galarrwuy Yunupingu are among a group gathering to discuss plans to achieve recognition for Indigenous Australians in the constitution. | Indigenous leaders, including Warren Mundine, Noel Pearson and Galarrwuy Yunupingu are among a group gathering to discuss plans to achieve recognition for Indigenous Australians in the constitution. |
Abbott had earlier lauded the week-long trip as an iron-clad election promise but on Tuesday he said Australia’s recent military deployment meant he had already been forced to “duck out of programs here and there”. | Abbott had earlier lauded the week-long trip as an iron-clad election promise but on Tuesday he said Australia’s recent military deployment meant he had already been forced to “duck out of programs here and there”. |
“It is possible that I may have to leave a little earlier but certainly I intend to have a deep and full engagement as I committed with Galarrwuy Yunupingu,” he said. | “It is possible that I may have to leave a little earlier but certainly I intend to have a deep and full engagement as I committed with Galarrwuy Yunupingu,” he said. |
Mundine, the head of the prime minister’s indigenous advisory council, said Aboriginal communities would understand if Abbott had to leave. | |
“With anything in life, there’s always some people who will complain,” Mundine told AAP. | |
“But I don’t think people will take that as an insult, people are mindful it’s a dangerous world.” | |
Abbott visited a furniture manufacturing business and a nursery owned by Yunupingu’s Gumatj Corporation but skipped out for a teleconference with the defence force chief, Mark Binskin, his chief of staff, Peta Credlin, and the defence minister, David Johnston. | Abbott visited a furniture manufacturing business and a nursery owned by Yunupingu’s Gumatj Corporation but skipped out for a teleconference with the defence force chief, Mark Binskin, his chief of staff, Peta Credlin, and the defence minister, David Johnston. |
The prime minister is meeting Indigenous leaders on Wednesday and said he would have a time frame in “days rather than weeks”. | The prime minister is meeting Indigenous leaders on Wednesday and said he would have a time frame in “days rather than weeks”. |
“It is important to say something significant about our country that acknowledges the pivotal role of the Indigenous people as the first Australians,” Abbott said. | “It is important to say something significant about our country that acknowledges the pivotal role of the Indigenous people as the first Australians,” Abbott said. |
He said he wanted to capture the “glory of modern Australia”. “We are a very embracing, inclusive country that reaches out to people,” he said. “I am not saying it’s going to be easy to put this into our constitution … that’s the challenge.” | He said he wanted to capture the “glory of modern Australia”. “We are a very embracing, inclusive country that reaches out to people,” he said. “I am not saying it’s going to be easy to put this into our constitution … that’s the challenge.” |
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