Indigenous Australians should be recognised in the the constitution, say experts. Photo / Bay of Plenty Times
Indigenous Australians should be recognised in the body of the constitution and racist sections should be scrapped, an expert panel has recommended.
Labor has promised to hold a national referendum on the constitutional recognition of indigenous Australians on or before the next federal election, due in 2013.
A panel of
19 indigenous leaders, politicians and legal minds travelled the country last year holding public meetings on the issue. Yesterday they presented their report.
The panel recommends recognition should take place in the body of the constitution, rather than by inserting a new preamble. "There is too much uncertainty in having two preambles."
It recommended inserting a new section (51A) to recognise "the continent and its islands now known as Australia were first occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people".
