Chapter 4

I reread my draft in the office on Monday morning and added a note:

The Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples has recommended these changes to the constitution:

Recognizing that the continent and its islands now known as Australia were first occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

Acknowledging the continuing relationship of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples with their traditional lands and waters

Respecting the continuing cultures, languages and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

I didn't even bother stressing the "traditional lands and waters." I then put the report and my "brief" on a memory stick and took it, and my receipts to the secretary.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks. It was very hot and very dusty."

"Junior staff don't get sent to the Gold Coast."

"No, I guess not. Anyway, here are my trip report and my brief. Can you put them on the appropriate stationery and fix the formatting, if necessary?"

"I'll give it to one of the girls."

"Girls? Can that be said?"

She laughed. "By me; don't you try it."

I nodded. "And here are my expenses. As the flights and the vehicle will be billed directly, there's not a lot of dosh involved. Only a few hundred."

"Lunch for a Minister, a week for a junior." She laughed.

"Can I have the report by lunch?"

"No problem. How many copies?"

"Two for Jason, one for your files, three for me. Half a dozen."

"No problem."

"Should I write a cover-letter?"

"Yes. One or two paragraphs at most."

"Right. Thank you."

When I looked over my three, I placed two into a large envelope and asked that it be sent to the Constable in Tibooburra.

At 14:00 Jason appeared. "I've read your report. It's a good job. I'd never looked at the Park and Wildlife Act before."

"My guess is that hardly anyone else has, either."

"Yes. And it will be a problem."

"Why? No one in the current State nor Federal governments was involved prior to 1975. Abbott was only 17 when it was enacted."

"True. Anyway, I've passed it up to the Minister. My guess is that he'll immediately send a copy to Scullion."

"Scullion?"

"Senator Nigel Scullion, Minister for Indigenous Affairs. He's technically under the Office of the PM; but he's appointed by the GG. Scullion was a commercial fisherman, first elected to the Senate from the Territory about 15 years ago. He lives in Darwin. I've never met him."

"Will it just disappear into the maw of time?"

Jason laughed. "It won't disappear, but I doubt whether anything will happen very soon. We'll be closed for three weeks. I'm certain Canberra will be, too. The very earliest we might hear is mid-January." He looked at his iPhone. "The 15^th or the 18^th I'd guess. More likely later than that. I wonder why Mr. Hunt didn't go through Broken Hill."

"Why Broken Hill?"

"They're the site of the ALC for the Far West Region."

"He most likely thought Dubbo was the right place. It's the center for the West."

"Yes. It's strange to have both West and Far West. However, I've got a silly chore for you."

"Yes?"

"There are a lot of parks in this state. Some are local. But some, like Sturt, are National." I knew what was coming. "I want a list of parks and documentation on each one. It might be 'Established by act of Parliament in 1905' or it may be 'Enclosed in 1972; no documents located.' But I want to know where we stand. Anyway, start out at the tourist office."

"Tourist office?"

"Sure. I bed they have lists with every park, every fee, whether there's camping, and whether there are handprints or stick figures there."

"This may take a while."

"You've got five more months; though I hope it won't take that long."

"I've no idea as to the scale. I'll let you know by Friday what it looks like."

"You might buy some tour guides and travel maps. Spend a few bucks usefully."

"Yessir." I was already thinking.

"And good job last week."

"Thank you." And he left. Three weeks off! I hadn't thought of it. Nor of Christmas gifts. I thought about the caves and overhangs with incised figures and handprints I'd seen. Who owned them? Could a serpent laugh? I thought I could hear one.

NSW is home to some of the most diverse natural terrain in Australia. With close to 900 national parks, featuring sub-tropical rainforests, pristine marine parks, outback landscapes, mountain ranges and UNESCO World Heritage-listed reserves there is a world of natural wonder to experience.

In the morning I went to Abbey's Books and bought several books and a state map. I walked to the office and spread out the map. Looking at it, I realized I'd been given an impossible task. Even as little as a day each meant over three years of research; more likely four.