The Recognise campaign launched by then prime minister Julia Gillard in 2012 is being ditched following Aboriginal Australia's abandonment of symbolic constitutional recognition.
The Australian reports the government-sponsored marketing campaign for indigenous constitutional recognition will be discarded months after a rebrand was floated. Recognise is a part of reconciliation Australia.
In a statement obtained by NITV News, Reconciliation Australia Co-Chair, Tom Calma AO said the organisation had made a valuable contribution.
"The Recognise campaign has made a significant contribution to building public awareness of the need for constitutional reform and recognition of the unique place of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our nation," he said.
"During the Garma Festival, the Prime Minister stated that, together with his Cabinet, he will carefully consider the recommendations of the Referendum Council. As we enter this next phase of the reconciliation journey, the Recognise campaign will transition into Reconciliation Australia so that this important work will continue as part of the broader reconciliation agenda."
The proposal for constitutional recognition followed the Referendum Council rejecting symbolic constitutional recognition in favour of a constitutionally-enshrined advisory body and a commission to oversee treaty-making and truth-telling.
After the Uluru summit in May, the Recognise campaign said it might need to rebrand its campaign but was in no hurry to do so with the referendum debate ongoing.
Recognise has received tens of millions of dollars in funding over the past five years and enlisted high profile Aboriginal ambassadors including Adam Goodes.
Footy clubs and companies from BHP to Qantas are also involved.
The airline recently removed the Recognise "R" logo from many of its planes after Reconciliation Australia said it was dumping the campaign, the Australian reported on Thursday.
The news came as Cape York figure Noel Pearson urged the country's leaders to prioritise a national vote on Indigenous recognition above other proposals to become a republic and extend parliamentary terms.
Minister for Indigenous Health and Aged Care, Ken Wyatt says that the recognise campaign had ‘reached and done its job’.
“I want to congratulate them on the work that they’ve done the awareness that they developed across this country and helping Australians talk about recognising Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the constitution,” he said.
“When the decision is made there will be some commitment by government to the level of support that we need to develop awareness beyond what recognition has achieved.”
“To all the people involved in recognition I want to thank you for the work that you did, your commitment and the way that you developed that awareness across this nation.”
AAP
