Social Justice Commissioner Mick Gooda has thrown his support behind calls to abolish the provision of 'raced based powers' in the Constitution.
His comments follow a controversial speech by academic and commentator Professor Marcia Langton, who highlighted the problems in addressing disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians.
Ms Langton said the expectations some Aboriginal people have of receiving welfare benefits often hinder their motivation to get into the real economy.
Mr Gooda has told National Indigenous TV he agrees with Professor Langton that welfare benefits work better when they are based on economic need.
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"There are policy-based things like Abstudy. But Abstudy is a special measure. It's put in place and temporary to help our people get up to the same level as other Australians and it is means tested," he told NITV.
"So, people who are so called middle-class Aboriginal people -- their kids wouldn't get benefits because they're outside the means test".
A means test means the lower the person's income, the higher the benefit they receive.
