Here is a brief overview - it still needs work so feel free to add….
- Arrival of Europeans
- Terra nullius
- 'Cordial' relations
- Frontier war
- Dispossession
- Few rights
- Protection policy
- Reserves mission
- Lost even more rights
- Paternalism
- Stolen generation
- Assimilation
- Reject traditional way
- Embrace British/Christian way of life
- Fringe dwellers
- 1950's
- Stolen generation
• Integration
○ Both cultures
• Self-determination
○ 1970's
○ Increase in rights & freedoms
○ Landrights
• Reconciliation
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Extended Notes
Activism Post WWII
A significant number of Aboriginal service men fought for Australia in WWII. Upon their arrival home they encountered a society that had not changed its views or attitudes towards aboriginal people.
Aboriginal Australians were not citizens, could not vote, and could not buy alcohol. By the early 1930’s a small group of Aboriginies had started themselves to campaign for Aboriginal rights.
Aboriginal Day of Mourning
The most significant organized activism occurred on Australia Day 1938. At Australia Hall, Elizabeth St Sydney, a group of Aboriginies met to discuss the demands of citizenship and equality with white community. It was the Aboriginal Day of Mourning.
From Protectionism to Assimilation
The idea of protectionism had largely developed from churches moving into rural settlements and providing Aboriginies with basic education and the possibility of moving closer to white settlements.
In WWII over 1000 Aboriginies had served in Aust. Army. Those men were eligible for war service loans and could vote on their return home.
In 1951, Paul Hasluck was appointed Federal Minister for Territories. Hasluck, by the standards of his time, held some enlightened views on Aboriginies. He began to push the policy of Assimilation.
Assimilation accepted the idea that Aboriginies should merge into the white community as long as they adopted white culture. With the adoption of assimilation, many Aboriginies began moving from reserves into towns and cities.
In many country towns, a policy of segregation emerged in response to assimilation. Though unofficial, the segregation spread to many cinemas, hospitals and even public toilets, in some cases simply ‘whites only’.
By the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, a significant and well-organized protest movement was starting to emerge in Aust. The unofficial leader of this movement was Charles Perkins. He was a uni graduate and played soccer at a national level.
He befriended large numbers of white students and together they embarked on the ‘Freedom Rides’. Freedom Rides saw Perkins and his supporters travel to country towns with the single intent of breaking down racial barriers. Civil disobedience.
Working Conditions
Historically, Aboriginies working on cattle stations had not been given equal pay to their white colleagues. Often they would not be paid at all, receiving food and accommodation instead for their labour.
In June 1966, Vincent Lingiari led a group of workers at the Wave Hill station in the NT on a strike that lasted for 7-8 years. (See From Little Things Big Things Grow)
Citizenship and the Right to Vote
In 1962, the Commonwealth Voting Rights Act was passed and for the first time Aboriginies could vote in federal elections.
In 19967, a referendum was held that would decide whether or no Aboriginies should be counted in the Aust. Census.
On 27th May 1967, 90% of people voted YES to support Aboriginies citizenship.
In 1968, the Council of Aboriginies Affairs was established and W.C. Wentworth first minister for Aboriginal affairs.
1969, the policy of the government taking children from their families ceased and by the early ‘70’s the idea of self-determination was beginning to replace assimilation.
In 1971, a federal court cases handed down by Justice Blackburn affirmed the concept of Terra Nullius – land belonging to no one. This case confirmed the idea that British law replaces Aboriginal law after 1788.
January 1972, an aboriginal tent embassy was set up on the lawns of Parliament House, Canberra. The embassy was established to draw attention to the issue of land rights. It was during this protest that the aboriginal flag made its first public appearance.
With the election of the Whitlam gov. in 1972, the issue of aboriginal rights gained new attention. A Royal Commission was held in 1973 and it recommended the establishment of land councils and the possibilities of land rights claims.
The Liberal gov. (M.Fraser) continued with many of Whitlam’s aboriginal affairs reform and the idea of self-determination had now completely replaced assimilation and official gov. policy.
The Hawke and Keating governments (1983-1996) further developed issues such as land rights by handing back Uluru to its traditional owners in 1985 and widening the possibilities for land claims.
Mabo - Native Title
Eddie Mabo was an islander who decided to challenge the concept of Terra Nullius in high courts. The H.C. found in Mabo’s favour and it was now possible to aboriginal people who could demonstrate a traditional link to unoccupied crown land to make a claim on it.
In 1996, the Wik people took this judgment further and the H.C. ruled that aboriginal people could claim access to occupied crown land for the purposes of hunting and carrying out traditional ceremonies.
