Australia to hold Aboriginal constitutional recognition referendum ‘within 3 years’

Australia will hold a referendum on recognizing Aboriginal people in the constitution within three years, the minister for indigenous affairs said on Wednesday.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders lived on the land for tens of thousands of years prior to British colonization. They make up roughly three percent of the population today, but remain by far the most disadvantaged community. The campaign to include them in the constitution has stirred a heated debate in Canberra.

Last week, PM Scott Morrison agreed to work with the opposition Labor Party, clearing a path for Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt to promise a constitutional referendum on the issue within the three-year term of the current parliament, AFP reported.

Wyatt, who in May became the first Aboriginal Australian to hold the indigenous affairs portfolio, said the question put forward to Australians for a vote must be carefully crafted.