New preamble will benefit Aborigines: Howard A vote for the proposed constitutional preamble would reinforce the role of Aborigines as members of the Australian community, Prime Minister John Howard said tonight. Mr Howard described Aborigines as "the most disadvantaged" group in Australia, but none the less holding special standing as the "first people of our nation." He said the inclusion of the preamble, his second question to be put in the November 6 referendum, had received little attention compared to the vote for a republic. "It would be a very unifying thing if we could put that into our constitution as a statement of the fundamental beliefs and values of the Australian community he said." "It would make a marvellous unifying and symbolic contribution to their place in the Australian community." Mr Howard delivered his plea in Melbourne tonight at new business group honouring the 50th anniversary of the election to Prime Minister of the Liberal Party's founder, the late Sir Robert Menzies. "I quite unapologetically ask you at this gathering to give sympathetic support for a yes vote for the preamble." During his address Mr Howard refused to elaborate on his criticisms of Australia becoming a republic. "I propose not to use Liberal Party forums to express my own point of view." He described support for a republic by his party collegues as "a free vote within the Liberal Party." AAP © This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited. ------------------------------------------------------- RecOzNet2 has a page @ http://www.green.net.au/recoznet2 and is archived at http://www.mail-archive.com/ To unsubscribe from this list, mail [EMAIL PROTECTED], and in the body of the message, include the words: unsubscribe announce or click here mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20announce This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." RecOzNet2 is archived for members @ http://www.mail-archive.com/
