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Member for New England Barnaby Joyce said he was listening to the morning news on the radio when he learnt about the Federal Government's promise of a referendum within three years, in an attempt to alter the Australian constitution to recognise Indigenous people, and he thinks a reformation of the Senate could play a big part. "Obviously I listened intently to find out the decision we apparently made," he said. "What I would say about any referendum is that you have got to come up with the words that will pass, and the republic referendum is a good example of that. This is a good cause, but like it or not you just can't overreach. ALSO READ: "I would suggest you work within the current format, and reconstitute in a way that better looks after Aboriginal people." Mr Joyce thought the creation of a third House of Parliament was certain to fail, and said working productively with what we already had would be more acceptable to a majority of people who might already think we are over-governed. He said it was a chance to modernise our 12 Senators per State Upper House by creating six regions in each state, and then electing two Senators from each region. "So, instead of having the majority of Senators from the capital cities, there would be six regions and a program to encourage Aboriginal people, who may be more present in regional areas, to stand for those positions," he said. "Now, that's something a lot of people would have no problems with." Mr Joyce said his system to reorganise the Senate would work in every State, and would be a better avenue to real power for Indigenous people. "You take Western Australia. Out of the 12 Senators, if they had six regions you could have eight or 10 Aboriginal Senators." Mr Joyce thought despite what many people were taught, truth would win through. "It always amazed me. As a young child, I remember being admonished by the school teacher when we were talking about Australian history, for saying Aboriginal people were here first," he said. "At that time, it was seen as a ridiculous and imprudent thing for a young child to say. "It was the truth; and what made sense to me as a five-year-old kid, still makes sense to me now. There's got to be a recognition of our real history, not only our more recent history."

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