Aboriginal women on welfare are being used as "cash cows" by having children for government payouts, former Queensland Labor MP Gary Johns has said.

The controversial comments were aired on Channel Ten's Bolt Report on Sunday, when discussing constitutional recognition of Indigenous Australians.

Former Labor MP Gary Johns made the controversial comments on Channel Ten's Bolt Report on Sunday. Credit:Channel Ten

Mr Johns also said Cape York Indigenous leader Noel Pearson needed to "start thinking" about the fundamental issues that affected "his people".

"Look, a lot of poor women in this country, a large proportion of whom are Aboriginal, are used as cash cows, right?" Mr Johns said. "They are kept pregnant and producing children for the cash. Now, that has to stop."