A-G goes steady on Aboriginal referendum

ATTORNEY-GENERAL George Brandis will delay the process for delivering constitutional acknowledgment of Aboriginal people by a year.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL George Brandis will delay the process for delivering constitutional acknowledgment of Aboriginal people by a year, with a newly constituted committee to come up with a proposal for the wording to cabinet -- after it was urged not to "rush" by key indigenous advocates.

This move extends the timeframe by at least six months. Senator Brandis has told The Weekend Australian he does not want to rush and come up with a proposal that does not satisfy all parties.

Next week the government will charge the joint parliamentary committee into constitutional recognition of Aborigines with the job of consulting alongside Senator Brandis, Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion and Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister Alan Tudge.

Liberal indigenous MP Ken Wyatt will be the new chairman and lead the consultative process, after Labor senator Trish Crossin left parliament.

It will also need a new deputy chair because the role was previously held by Senator Brandis.

Senator Brandis said while he had wanted to sign off on a proposal by the middle of next year he now believed time would help.

"The consultation period is going to be extended until towards the end of next year to make sure that there is long enough for all the different groups to be fully consulted and for the process not to be hurried," he said.

After meeting with Senator Brandis, Recognise campaign director Tim Gartrell said he was positive about the progress.

"It's good to see the new government clicking into gear when it comes to the important task of finalising a model. We're relaxed with the idea that it may take a couple of months longer to finalise the wording than first envisaged. "The main priority is to get it right and that includes making sure there is plenty of time for consultation and testing the wording."

Labor promised a referendum would occur by this year but abandoned that pledge after failing to build support and momentum.