A bill to extend the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013 for three years, until 28 March 2018, passed through the Australian Parliament today.

I was pleased to lead this continued parliamentary support for recognition of first Australians.

The support across the Parliament for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013, and its extension, provides ample evidence that Parliament is taking ownership of the movement to recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Constitution.

The original Act was due to expire on 28 March 2015.

The extended Act recognises Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the first inhabitants of Australia and records the Parliament's commitment to work towards a referendum on Indigenous constitutional recognition.

The bill will now be put to His Excellency, the Governor-General, for Royal Assent.