( CNN ) -- An Australian panel on Thursday suggested changes to the country 's Constitution to give better recognition to the indigenous population that inhabited the vast continent long before Europeans settled there . The indigenous Australians -- often referred to as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples -- suffered at the hands of the settlers and the government they established . Australian politicians have since apologized for the past mistreatment , but Aborigines remain disadvantaged socially and economically compared with the overall population . Explicit references to Aborigines in the original Constitution , drafted in the late 19th century , were subsequently deemed to be negative . Australians voted overwhelmingly to remove those points in a 1967 referendum , but many people say the document can be further improved to acknowledge the role of the country 's indigenous population . The panel -- which included Aboriginal leaders , business executives , legal experts and members of the main political parties -- handed over its report on Thursday to Prime Minister Julia Gillard , whose government has promised to hold a referendum on the matter by the next general election . After spending the past year gathering opinions from people across Australia 's huge territory , the panel faced the delicate task of proposing meaningful changes to the Constitution that would receive support from across the political spectrum . Without the backing of all the major political parties , the proposed measures would have little chance of success at a referendum . And rejection by voters could deal a blow to Australia 's self-image . `` For many Australians , the failure of a referendum on recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would result in confusion about the nation 's values , commitment to racial nondiscrimination , and sense of national identity , '' the panel said in its report . `` The negative impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would be profound . '' The challenge is highlighted by the track record of past efforts to change the Constitution by vote : only eight of the 44 referendum proposals have passed in Australia 's history , with the last successful one in 1974 . The panel said it had put forward changes that it thought would be likely to secure broad-based approval from Australians . It proposed repealing two provisions that are still considered to have racist connotations : one that allows states to disqualify people of `` all persons of any race '' from voting at elections ; and another that authorizes parliament to make `` special laws '' for `` the people of any race . '' That recommendation was expected and had already been supported by the government and the opposition . The panel also made the more politically sensitive suggestion of adding a new section that would give Parliament the power to make laws `` for the peace , order and good government ' of Australia `` with respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples . '' That section would include a passage recognizing that `` the continent and its islands now known as Australia were first occupied by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples . '' The report also proposed a section prohibiting racial discrimination while still allowing for the possibility of measures to protect and help `` any group . '' Some politicians and commentators had expressed concern before Thursday that the panel may put forward new provisions that , if enacted , would give too much power to the courts to interpret the wording as they saw fit . The government said in a statement that it would `` carefully consider the panel 's recommendations before determining the best way forward . ''
A panel proposes new sections for the Australian Constitution to recognize indigenous people . The government says it will consider the recommendations before deciding how to proceed . It has promised a referendum on the issue by the next election . Changes to the Constitution by referendum rarely do well in Australia .