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National Schools Constitutional Convention

Youth provide input on Indigenous Australians and the Constitution

March 2017

Local Melbourne Girls’ College student Lilian Gonzalez is one of 120 Year 11 and 12 students selected to participate in the 22nd National Schools Constitutional Convention, being held at The Museum of Australian Democracy at Old Parliament House in Canberra from 15 - 17 March 2017.

The National Schools Constitutional Convention programme provides senior students with an opportunity to become better informed about how Australia's Constitution provides a democratic framework and encourages them to take an active interest in the operation of government.  The topic of the 2017 Convention is ‘Indigenous Australians and the Constitution’.

Facilitated by Emeritus Professor John Warhurst AO, Professor of Political Science at the Australian National University, the students will consider a range of arguments relating to Indigenous Constitutional recognition. This will include input from a panel of experts, group discussions on the issues and the opportunity to persuade other delegates of particular approaches. Students will participate in a mock referendum to determine the outcome of their deliberations.

The Convention is funded by the Australian Government Department of Education and Training as part of its ongoing commitment to civics and citizenship education.

In becoming a national delegate, Lilian Gonzalez was selected from around 4,000 students from government, independent and Catholic schools, most of whom took part in feeder conventions in their home state or territory.