Strong support to remove race from constitution: ANU Poll »

A large majority of Australians says they would support changes to the Constitution to remove clauses that discriminate on the basis of race. A major new poll of Australian attitudes on Indigenous issues has found overwhelming support to change the Constitution to remove of references to race. The ANUpoll, conducted by The Australian National University (ANU), also found strong support for Indigenous culture, language and heritage to be acknowledged in the Constitution as the basis for Australian law making. The ANUpoll found four out of five people also believe Indigenous people should be able to decide their own way of life. Both major Australian political parties support greater recognition of Indigenous Australians in the Constitution and the ANUpoll findings come as a bipartisan parliamentary committee considers wording for any changes to the Constitution. Professor Matthew Gray, Director of the ANU Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research, said the results were strongest in metropolitan areas and among young people, but were also strong in non-metropolitan areas and with older people. "A large majority of Australians says they would support changes to the Constitution to remove clauses that discriminate on the basis of race and to recognise the continuing cultures, languages and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Straits Islander peoples as a basis for Commonwealth Law making," Professor Gray said.