Laws that prevent people from voting, owning property or even working in certain professions on the basis of race are still permitted by our Constitution. Ours is likely the only country in the world whose Constitution still contains a ‘race power’ [section 51(xxvi)] which allows Parliament to enact racially discriminatory laws.

Today the Expert Panel appointed by the Government has handed down its final recommendations for recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution. This historic proposal for a Constitutional referendum would:

• Add a statement recognising the prior occupation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and their unique and significant contribution to the life of this nation.

• Remove the ability of States and Territories to disquality people from voting on the basis of race (section 25).

• Remove the right of governments to make laws to the detriment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

• Create a new power to make positive laws with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

• Add a new protection against discrimination on the basis of race, colour or ethnicity.

• Recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages as the original Australian languages.

This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to unite behind real change. It’s time to bring our Constitution into the 21st century.

Send a letter to key MPs and party leaders via this link

Hello Ozbods, online letters don’t seem popular in these parts, but just this once send anyway pls.??? Only takes a minute.

re: arguments that the ‘race power’ has existed since Federation and ATSI civil rights ‘happened’ anyway, so it’s to symbolic and irrelevant to invest resources in changing now;

• Symbolism is politically relevant.
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights did not ‘happen’, they were fought for and are currently regressing in key areas e.g health, imprisonment rates.
• Conservatives can use outmoded racist powers like this to undermine contemporary ATSI rights advocates; by pressuring them into expensive, time consuming court battles over legal interpretations, draining resources from other goals.
• The NT Intervention proved that political will exists to revive and abuse this power. 
• Why defend hanging onto a ‘race power’ if it’s so irrelevant??