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Day of Mourning
Officially this day recognises 150 years of callous treatment and the seizure of land. The aboriginals view this day as the anniversary of "Invasion" by the British. It was the first time the Aboriginals had come together, recognising one particular cause. Formally it recognises the day in which Captian James Cook came on the 1st fleet 26th Jan 1968, Australia Day -
Right to vote federally
In 1962, a referendum was held in order to pass and change the laws of section 51 and 127. This is even more of a significant event as there has only ever been 8/44 referendums passed. For the referendum to pass it was required that the question was supported by a majority of voters in a majority of states -
Referendum for Aboriginies
The significance of the 1967 referendum was to provide the Federal Government with a clear mandate to implement policies to benefit Aborigines. The government’s argument was: “It’s too late”. The other aspect of the constitutional change, was the enabling of Aborigines to be counted in population statistics, has led to clearer comparisons of the desperate state of Aboriginal health. As a result of the Referendum they are now included in the Census -
Tents Protest
The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is pitched outside Parliament House in Canberra, campaigning for the recognition of Aboriginal land rights. December: The Australian Government establishes the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. -
Racial Discrimination Act
The Australian Parliament passes the Racial Discrimination Act to help ensure that Australians of all backgrounds are treated equally and receive the same opportunities. -
Mabo Decison
Eddie Koiki Mabo challenges the goverments rights to deny the Meriam peoples' use of the land. He states that they were the rightful owners of the land before anyone could remember. This is significant because a aboroginal man is recognised as he challenges the higher authorities, representing thousands of Aboriginal peoples -
Reconcilation Act
This is identified reconcilation as a key goal in the period leading to 2001 centenary of Australian federation. The Act established 25 member Council for Aboriginal Reconcilation with representatives from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. This is significant as the Indeginous people were now ofically recognised as the owners of the land and that they have suffered ongoing social and economic disadvantage as a result of having their land taken from them -
Regognition of land - Mabo
The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation holds its first meeting in Canberra. Later in June, the High Court hands down the Mabo decision, recognising the special relationship that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have with the land. The Court rules that Australia was never terra nullius. -
HREOC Bringing them home
The HREOC bringing them home report recognises the damage greifs and loss that individuals and comunities experienced while trying to gain some sense of identity. The report found that many past goverments had not recognised the Indigenous parents' rights with regards to their children. It was a token in Aboriginal history as it was not only a sign of reconcilation, but acknowledged the past for Aboriginals -
National Sorry Day
National Sorry Day is commemorated for the first time on 26 May -
Kevin Rudd apology 2008
Kevin Rudd delivers an apology to the Stolen Generations. Seventeen representatives of the Stolen Generation and the four former prime ministers listened within parlemenet. It was a national apology for all the grief that any Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander had experienced, an act of reconcilation -
"Close the Gap"
The comenwealth giverment announced its commitment to "close the gap" between Indeginous and non-Indeginous peoples with regard to life expectancy health, levels of education and employment oppurtunaites. This is significant becasue, Aboriginals are given a greater oppurtunity to improve their way of life, and social status -
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Reconcilation Week
National Reconciliation Week was first celebrated in 1996. National Reconciliation Week aims to give people across Australia the opportunity to focus on reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. It is a time to 'reflect on achievements so far and on what must still be done to achieve reconciliation'. It is significant as it recognises the degree of wrong doings and mistakes made at the cost of aboriginals and helps reconcile a dark history