Labor is for the First Australians
Ending more than 200 years of disadvantage among Indigenous Australians is a goal Labor is committed to keep working towards.
Over the past 40 years Labor has fought for aboriginal land rights, passed the Native Title Act and made a national apology to the victims of the Stolen Generations.
But Labor recognises that previous approaches to end disadvantage have not worked and there is much to do, which is why there has been unprecedented effort and record investment in addressing Indigenous disadvantage, including six ambitious Closing the Gap targets.
One of the Closing the Gap targets is to halve the gap in unemployment between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians by 2018. The employment target is one of the most ambitious and challenging of the Closing the Gap targets and achieving real change in employment will be the culmination of long term investments in early childhood, education, skills and training.
Australia's Constitution needs to change to recognise the unique and special place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our society and culture.
Labor wants meaningful change, change that unites the nation and reflects the hopes and aspirations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.
Politicians don't pass referendums; people do. That's why Labor has been working to establish a strong base for constitutional change, including passing an Act of Recognition through the parliament and funding a campaign to raise community awareness of constitutional change.
Labor agrees with the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples which says a referendum should be held at a time when it has the most chance of success.
Labor knows that successful constitutional change will not occur without the support of the majority of Australians and is committed to building the necessary support.