Effectiveness Of The Campaigns For Indigenous

The 1967 referendum also had many positive effects. The popular ‘yes’ vote, “was a high water mark for the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people”(Behrendt). In a time of discrimination, this had a big effect on the public. They were also able to realize the harshness Aboriginals dealt with and become aware of their situation and how the government neglected the indigenous people. The Freedom Rides led by Charles Perkins and a group of university students, “brought to the attention of people in the cities the crude and racist conditions that existed in places like Walgett and Brewarrina and garnered public sympathy for Indigenous issues.” (Behrendt). By bringing Aboriginal people and non-Aboriginal people together the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) started in 2006. Although this happened years after the Referendum, the referendum led up to organizations such as these. The RAP “These RAPs outlines practical actions the organization will take to build strong relationships and enhanced respect between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and other Australians…. RAP Program is about working with organizations across Australia to turn their good intentions into real actions”(Reconciliation Australia).

Unlike in America, the Freedom Rides in Australia took place later on the 12th February 19659; when the University of Sydney students rode into the “towns in northern New South Wales which contained large Aboriginal populations”10. One of the main towns mentioned was at Moree; where they protested in swimming pools, attracting a lot of violence. The Freedom Rides also passed through Wellington, Gulargambone, Lismore, Bowraville and Kempsey. The duration of the Australian Freedom Rides occurred mainly in February 1965.

Another significant event of the 20th century for the move towards civil rights for ATSI people was the 1967 Referendum and subsequent 1972 Tent Embassy. On the 27th of May 1967, the 17th prime minister, Harold Holt who represented the Liberal Government called a referendum seeking ability to include aboriginals to the Australian society. This was acts such as including aboriginal Australians in the census to improve statistical results and federals laws so they are no longer under racist state laws. One of the main aboriginal activists for this event was Faith Bandler, who was campaign director for the YES campaign supporting this movement. Faith Bandler strongly believed that both aboriginals and non-aboriginals should be able to live ‘as

This was the beginning of aboriginals gaining a symbol of recognition. One of the many impacts during the 1967 referendum were the aboriginals beginning to gain a voice, due to them being counted in the census and therefore their social status was improved. Due to the vast amount of

In 1901 when the Constitution was first written, Aboriginals were mentioned in it twice and Torres Strait Islander not at all. The federal government could not make laws for Aboriginals in section 57 of the Constitution. Also, Aboriginals were not counted in the Census in Section 127 of the Constitution. Life was very difficult for Aboriginals for several decades because of these two sections.

My second source is a photograph of Charles Perkins and the other university students who are going to the freedom ride. Behind them is a old bus, which they will be using to travel around NSW. This photograph shows that even though that have poor resources, Perkins stills continues to help the aboriginals gain back their rights, and reduce racism around

The 1967 Referendum had a significant impact on the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Prior to this event, these people had still not received some basic civil rights. The Referendum proposed to include Aboriginal people in the census and to allow the Commonwealth government to make laws for them. This change was seen as a recognition of Aboriginal people as full Australian citizens after giving them the right to vote in 1962.

There was a saying at the time that racism did no longer exist in Australia only in other countries such as America but after this evidence was released soon it was recognised that racism did in fact exist in Australia. The Australian Freedom Riders had made worldwide news about their travels and experiences.

After too many years, when the Australian government decided to grant Aboriginal people with fully rights of freedom again in their country, the number of indigenous people in Australia jumped an amazingly 33 per cent from the 1991 to 1996 census. final

The attitudes of the white Australians also had a huge impact on change of rights and freedoms as it pressured the government into giving Aboriginals rights and freedoms. The 1967 was testament to this when a huge 90.77% of Australians agreed that Aboriginals had the right to be counted in the census. There has never been any real public objections to giving aboriginals rights, merely quiet harbored prejudices in the persons’ mind. On the other side of the case the Aboriginal rights in general have not improved with many Aboriginals being

On 27th May 1967, 90.77% of Australians voted in favour of changes to the Australian Constitution to improve the welfare of Indigenous signifying the end of racial discrimination . The 1967 Referendum was a practical and symbolic strategy which proposed to include Aboriginal people in the census and to allow the Commonwealth government to make laws for Indigenous Australians. The Referendum has had a significant impact on Indigenous policies as it

Since the time of federation the Aboriginal people have been fighting for their rights through protests, strikes and the notorious ‘day of mourning’. However, over the last century the Australian federal government has generated policies which manage and restrained that of the Aboriginal people’s rights, citizenships and general protection. The Australian government policy that has had the most significant impact on indigenous Australians is the assimilation policy. The reasons behind this include the influences that the stolen generation has had on the indigenous Australians, their relegated rights and their entitlement to vote and the impact that the policy has had on the indigenous people of Australia.

64, Commonwealth of Australia 2011). Policy then moved towards more assimilationist strategies in which attempts were made to convert Aboriginal Australians into ‘responsible citizens’ (Gilbert 2005, Haebich 2000). The protectionist and assimilationist policies share the core values that Aboriginal culture is inferior and on its way to an ‘evolutionary end’ (Gilbert 2005, p. 64).

Over the past 230 years, Aboriginals have protested in many different ways to gain rights, which they believe they are deserving of. Through aims of what they wanted to achieve, the processes they went through brought them disappointment over the poor results of some actions and pleasure over the success of others. Over those years, very few periods of protest have been as revelational or effective as the protests occurring between 1938 and 1972. During this period many different groups of Aboriginals have fought for the common cause of being recognised as people rather than interferences caught in the midst of Australians expansion as a nation.

The Effectiveness of the Law in Achieving Justice for Indigenous People In relation to Australia, the term ‘Indigenous peoples’ refers to two distinct cultures of people who inhabited the land prior to European settlement – The Aboriginals and the Torres Strait Islanders. This population declined dramatically over the 19th and early 20th century due to the introduction of new diseases from European settlement, Government policies of dispersal and dispossession, the era of protection, assimilation and integration causing a cultural disruption and disintegration of the Indigenous peoples. In the 20th century the recognition and protection of Indigenous peoples land rights and human rights have been