Opposition leader Bill Shorten has made an impassioned plea for Australia to address indigenous inequality.
But he says it needs to happen because it is the right thing and not just because there's an upcoming federal election.
"They may not change an election but they can change the nation," Mr Shorten told the launch of National Reconciliation Week in Melbourne on Friday evening.
"I speak of the issues of inequality, of injustice and of post-constitutional recognition of settlement."
While progress had been made since formal reconciliation efforts began 25 years ago, Australia still had a long way to go, the Labor leader said.
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He said the unfair treatment of Indigenous athletes like AFL players Nicky Winmar and Adam Goodes reflected the systemic nature of racism.
"Every generation of Aboriginal athlete ... has known this truth," Mr Shorten told the dinner at Crown Casino.
Most Australians were not racist and many in the community stood up against racism - but leaders needed to do more to make constitutional recognition the centre of national debate," he said.
Mr Shorten says indigenous people need to be "equal, empowered partners" in deciding what modern Australia constitutes.
Until that happens, "unfinished business" from colonial times will continue to plague the nation.
"Only then, when we've worked together, will we be in a place to resolve the gnawing, unresolved divisions of the soul of our nation," Mr Shorten said.
