Indigenous Australians will launch a campaign Saturday to change the constitution and ensure that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ views are better represented in Parliament, part of a years-long effort to make sure they are consulted on major policy initiatives.
In 2016-2017, a council appointed by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull hosted meetings in 13 towns and cities across Australia to ask First Nations Australians what form constitutional recognition should take. About 270 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders, chosen to represent their home communities, then traveled to Uluru, in the center of the continent, and produced the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Australia has a diverse indigenous population, with over 500 different tribes and communities across the country. For many years, there has been a growing movement to recognize and give greater representation to these communities in Australian politics and society.
In 2017, the Australian government announced plans to hold a referendum on whether to include a "voice to Parliament" for indigenous peoples in the country's constitution. The idea was to establish a representative body that would allow indigenous peoples to provide input and advice on issues that affect them, such as policies related to land rights, education, and health care.
While there is still a long way to go in terms of achieving greater representation and recognition for Australia's indigenous communities, the establishment of the senior advisory group is a positive step forward in this direction.
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