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Federation
Federation - The Commonwealth Constitution states "in reckoning the numbers of people… Aboriginal natives shall not be counted". It also states that the Commonwealth would legislate for any race except Aboriginal people. This leaves the power over Aboriginal Affairs with the states. -
6th Jun, 1928 Conniston Massacre
Conniston Massacre in the Northern Territory. Europeans shoot 32 Aboriginal people after a European dingo trapper and a station owner are attacked by them. A court of inquiry rules the Europeans’ action ‘justified’. Aboriginal people are refused legal aid by the federal government. -
3rd Jul, 1951 Assimilation
The federal government convenes the Australian Conference for Native Welfare, with all states and territories represented except Victoria and Tasmania, which claim to have no Aboriginal ‘problem’. The conference officially adopts a policy of ‘assimilation’ for Aboriginal people. ‘Assimilation means, in practical terms, that it is expected that all persons of Aboriginal birth or mixed blood in Australia will live like white Australians do.’ -
7th Jan, 1972 Tent Embassy
The ‘Aboriginal Tent Embassy’ is pitched outside Parliament House in Canberra, demonstrating for land rights. -
5th Jul, 1983 Aboriginal Land Rights Act Aboriginal Land Rights Act
(NSW) recognises dispossesssion and dislocation of NSW Aboriginal people, sets up local-regional-State land council network with land tax funding as compensation. -
26th May, 1997 Bring Them Home
The 700-page report of the ‘Stolen Children’ National Inquiry ‘Bringing Them Home’, is tabled in Federal Parliament. The report concludes that the forcible removal of children was an act of genocide, contrary to United Nations Convention on Genocide, ratified by Australia in 1949. Australians are shocked by the report’s details. -
8th Oct, 2000 Cathy Freeman
Cathy Freeman wins gold in the women’s 400m at the Sydney 2000 Olympics. The opening and closing ceremonies celebrated Indigenous cultural identity and history and provided some deft political comment on contemporary Aboriginal issues. -
24th May, 2013 Adam Goodes
A 13-year-old girl calls Sydney Swans Aboriginal rugby player Adam Goodes an “ape”, shattering the star. The racist incident comes 20 years after Aboriginal player Nicky Winmar pointed proudly to his black chest in a similar incident. Another comment by television presenter Eddie McGuire a few days later sparks a national debate about racism. -
2nd Jun, 2013 Yothu Yindi
Yothu Yindi lead singer Yunupingu dies at his home in Yirrkala in Eastern Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, aged 56, from kidney disease.