ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES RECOGNITION ACT 2013 (NO. 18, 2013) - PREAMBLE

ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES RECOGNITION ACT 2013 (NO. 18, 2013) - PREAMBLE

Preamble

                   This preamble sets out considerations taken into account by the Parliament of Australia in enacting the law that follows.

                   The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples were the first inhabitants of Australia.

                   The Parliament is committed to placing before the Australian people at a referendum a proposal for constitutional recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

                   The Parliament acknowledges the important work of the Expert Panel on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and its proposals for constitutional change.

                   The Parliament recognises that further engagement with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians is required to refine proposals for a referendum and to build the support necessary for successful constitutional change.

                   The Parliament is committed to building the national consensus needed for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution.

                   The Parliament believes this Act is a significant step in the process towards achieving constitutional change.

The Parliament of Australia enacts: