Macklin pushes constitutional recognition of Aboriginals

Indigenous Affairs minister Jenny Macklin says amendments to the Australian constitution to recognise Aboriginals will be put to a referendum under a re-elected Labor government.

Ms Macklin says constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders would be an important step in strengthening the relationship between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians and building trust.

Ms Macklin visited Nhulunbuy to release the government's Closing The Gap policy and says an expert panel would establish how the constitution should be amended.

She says there needs to be community support if a referendum is going to be successful, given that only eight out of 44 referenda have succeeded since Federation.