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Marianne Mackay, who is studying law at UWA, is a member of a group starting a new political party to represent Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Marianne, who has accepted the role of secretary for the new party, said the group was keen to sign up 500 people so they could launch the party in time for the next Federal and State government elections.

The idea to start the party only came to her about three months ago. In a letter to The West Australian in November 2009, she called on Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan to reconsider the impact of giving police more power to search people, writing that the "police force has so many racists". However, she acknowledged there were some police officers who respect Aboriginal people and she wished there were more of them.

The head coordinator of Students Without Borders, Gerry Georgatos, said the vision that Marianne and Glenn Moore (President of the new party) have brought here is "long overdue - this vision will inspire the remedies and solutions we need".