"Don't give us the crumbs off the table, we want the whole slice of bread."
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That's the message Aboriginal elder Velma 'Aunty Val' Mulcahy has for Australians following NAIDOC Week and the news of a possible referendum for constitutional change.
The referendum announcement was made earlier this month by Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt.
Aunty Val discussed her hopes for the future generations at a recent NAIDOC Week gathering at the Wingecarribee Aboriginal Community and Cultural Centre at Rainbow Road in Mittagong.
This included access to education and meaningful employment for young Indigenous people as well as a strong connection to culture and community.
"We want to be able to teach our kids, we want our kids to be employed and we don't want our kids on pensions," she said.
"It's not just Aboriginal kids, [other children] have come out of school and haven't got an education."
Aunty Val said gatherings at the Wingecarribee Aboriginal Community and Cultural Centre were important as they instilled a sense of community in the younger generations.
"I can celebrate my survival with my family and our community," she said.
"This is what it's all about: our community. It's about keeping our community together and putting pride in our kids. It's got to be put in there, it's got to be done.
"It shouldn't be just a day, we should be celebrating our culture every day."
While Aunty Val welcomed the news of constitutional recognition, she said the process would take a long time.
"It'll take three years three years to make a thing that has been wrong for nearly 250 years," she said.
"They're going to take three years to make a decision that's about me.
"They say in Australia it's a fair go for everyone. A fair go for who?"
