ABSTRACT
Before sovereignty can become even a viable concept for discussion amongst the wider non-Indigenous community, it needs to redeem and take responsibility for its colonial debts. It would simply be a tangible expression of 'paying the rent'-and an equitable starting point from which to negotiate a future of Indigenous sovereignty. The recognition of Indigenous sovereignty is sometimes sought through European law. Non-Indigenous Australia needs to reassess its place within an Indigenous nation, including a willingness to accede to the principles of Indigenous sovereignty, amongst which are a respect for Indigenous knowledge systems and the historical landscapes from which they were created. Rose argues that white Australia must also take ownership of and responsibility for the full knowledge of its own past rather than selectively seek comfort and reassurance from it. Historically speaking, ‘consultation’ with and the ‘recognition’ of Indigenous communities has too often been at best an act of tokenism or hollow symbolism.
