Three-quarters ready to embrace indigenous constitution change

An overwhelming majority of Australians now support recognising indigenous Australians in the Constitution.

An overwhelming majority of Australians — including conservative and rural voters — now support recognising indigenous Australians in the Constitution.

As a parliamentary committee prepares to release its long-awaited final report on constitutional recognition, a new survey shows three-quarters of Australians are ready to embrace change.

Critically, the survey of almost 3000 people found the movement had sufficient support to secure the “double majority” vote required for a successful referendum — an overall national majority of votes, plus a majority in at least four of the six states.

The Polity research, commissioned by the RECOGNISE campaign leading the national debate for change, found that 75 per cent of all voters, 67 per cent of coalition supporters and 87 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders would vote yes if a referendum were held today.

Regional and rural voters are more strongly inclined than city voters to support recognition, the survey found.

RECOGNISE campaign director Tanya Hosch said the firming of public support should give confidence to political leaders to advance towards a referendum, mooted for May 27, 2017 — the 50th anniversary of the 1967 vote on Aboriginal rights.

“This confirms that when you ask them to make this decision in a democratic vote, our fellow Australians are prepared to say yes in the sort of overwhelming numbers that would absolutely carry this referendum,” she said. “It confirms the electorate is strongly prepared to back this change.”

Ms Hosch pointed to two years of grassroots engagement in regional communities across the nation, including the 32,000km Journey to Recognition relay, as being critical to shoring up support in rural areas.

A joint committee of parliament due to report next month is unresolved on its recommendations for how best to progress to a 2017 referendum.

The committee is considering its response to a model for recognition proposed by Cape York leader Noel Pearson, which has the support of constitutional conservatives, but has divided opinion among indigenous leaders.

Mr Pearson has proposed a dec­laration of recognition to sit alongside the Constitution, complemented by changes to the country’s founding document to remove racist clauses and to establish a new indigenous body.

The expert panel proposed new sections in the Constitution to recognise indigenous Aus­tralians and their languages, the removal of racist clauses and the inclusion of a racial non-­discrimination clause

Amid concern the campaign may be allowed to drift without consensus, Ms Hosch is calling for an urgent meeting between the Prime Minister, Opposition Leader and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders.