Under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013 the Minister for Indigenous Affairs appointed a Review Panel on 27 March 2014. The panel was tasked with assessing levels of public awareness and support for amending the Constitution to recognise Indigenous peoples and levels of community support for different proposals for constitutional change.

In the Australian Senate on 23 June 2003, the South Australian Senator Stott Despoja, also on behalf of Senator Bolkus, moved: (1) That the following matters be referred to the Legal and Constitutional References Committee for inquiry and report: (a) the most appropriate process for moving towards the establishment of an Australian republic with an...

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner outlines the historical circumstances that left Indigenous people out of the original Australian Constitution and the arguments for rectifying this omission. "One hundred and ten years ago years ago, Queen Victoria gave Royal Assent to the Australian Constitution, the founding document of our nation and pre-eminent...

In the context of the Federal Government's commitment to hold a referendum to recognise Indigenous Australians in the Constitution, this research brief considers some of the potential options for Indigenous-related reform. The Indigenous Law Centre is conducting a research project looking at reform of the Australian Constitution concerning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The...

Sweeping changes need to be made to the process of informing Australians before a referendum, according to this report. The Committee found the written material provided to all electors before a referendum is insufficient, and that a greater range of communication is needed to properly inform the public.