"I think it is shameful that there is conflict"

In the final moments of his 40-year legal career, outgoing Supreme Court judge John Dixon called for constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians and made a thinly veiled swipe at some of those opposing it.

With two weeks to go until the Voice referendum, Justice Dixon made his views clear during his farewell ceremony at the Supreme Court in Melbourne.

He said Indigenous people in Australia should be entitled to "constitutional recognition, to the truth, and to treaties".

"I think it is shameful that there is conflict and doubt over whether this will be achieved," he said on Wednesday evening.

"We ought to work together to resolve any uncertainty or disagreement on specifics, as our brothers and sisters across the ditch have done," he said, referring to New Zealand which provides recognition for the Indigenous Māori people.

"In truth, there is a root of collective shame in our racist past and the perpetuation and encouragement of racist attitudes by the empty vessels making the most noise.

"I want to believe that over the next few weeks, Australia will find the empathy, the grace and the fair go that ought to define our national character."

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-28/supreme-court-judge-john-dixon-retires-voice-to-parliament/102912466