A Wimmera Indigenous leader has welcomed news the federal government is planning to hold a referendum on recognising the nation's first peoples in the Constitution.
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Indigenous Affairs Minister Ken Wyatt announced on Wednesday that Australians would have the chance to vote within the next three years.
The nation's founding document does not mention Australia's Indigenous peoples.
The Australian Human Rights Commission notes the Constitution also permits Federal Parliament to validly enact laws that are racially discriminatory and contemplates disqualifying people from voting on the basis of their race.
Goolum Goolum Aboriginal Co-operative chairman Johnny Gorton said the change was long overdue.
"If you listen to the narrative this year behind the themes of NAIDOC Week and National Reconciliation Week in May, they talk about truth, treaty and voice - so the conversation is welcome," he said.
"I'm from a new generation of people. If you look at what happened in the past, Aboriginal people were considered flora and fauna up until 1918 (and) we weren't able to vote until 1967, so this is just another step on a journey to being recognised as people in this country."
Mr Gorton said it was important the history of Traditional Owners was more widely taught.
"If you look at the education curriculum, it teaches you everything about non-Indigenous history from the landing of Captain Cook and what's happened from then, but it doesn't tell you the perspective of Aboriginal people in the same time," he said.
"All the stuff we've achieved and done is often forgotten. People don't freely talk about how the first Australian cricket team were made up of Aboriginal men from western Victoria, or David Unaipon - the man on the $50 note ... he created the first patented hand shears for sheep, but people don't know that.
"Recognition for me is another step closer to people understanding our journey and the other part of history being told."
Barengi Gadjin Land Council chief executive Michael Stewart said the organisation was encouraged the federal government was prepared to "start doing something", and eagerly awaited the release of the plan.
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