2—Recognition of Aboriginal peoples
(1) The Parliament on
behalf of the people of South Australia acknowledges that—
(a) the
Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1834 passed a Bill called An Act to
empower His Majesty to erect South Australia into a British Province or
Provinces and to provide for the Colonisation and Government thereof and that
by Letters Patent dated 19 February 1836 His Majesty established the
Province of South Australia; and
(b) the
making of the above instruments and subsequent constitutional instruments
providing for the governance of South Australia and for the making of laws for
peace, order and good government occurred without proper and effective
recognition, consultation or authorisation of Aboriginal peoples of South
Australia.
(2) Following the
Apology given on 28 May 1997, the Parliament, on behalf of the
people of South Australia—
(a)
acknowledges and respects Aboriginal peoples as the State's first peoples and
nations; and
(b)
recognises Aboriginal peoples as traditional owners and occupants of land and
waters in South Australia and that—
(i)
their spiritual, social, cultural and economic practices
come from their traditional lands and waters; and
(ii)
they maintain their cultural and heritage beliefs,
languages and laws which are of ongoing importance; and
(iii)
they have made and continue to make a unique and
irreplaceable contribution to the State; and
(c)
acknowledges that the Aboriginal peoples have endured past injustice and
dispossession of their traditional lands and waters.
(3) The Parliament
does not intend this section to have any legal force or effect.