Indigenous Rights

  • Cook Comes

    Caption Cook calles australia ‘terra nullius' thinking there is no one els on the land
  • First Fleet

    Arrival of the First Fleet and the beginning of British invasion. Aboriginal
    population estimated at between 750 000 to 1 million. In May the first conflict
    between the First Fleet arrivals and Aborigines takes place near Rushcutters
    Bay, Sydney. Two convicts are killed.
  • White Australia Policy

    The phrase ‘White Australia Policy’ appeared in William Lane’s Boomerang in
    Brisbane.
  • Federation

    Commonwealth of Australia formed. Aboriginal people are excluded from the
    census and the lawmaking powers of the Commonwealth Parliament.
     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 Aborigines. The states therefore retain
    their power over Aboriginal Affairs.
  • Pension

    The Invalid and Old Age Pension Act provides social security for all
    Australians except Aborigines
  • Start of the stolen age

    Aborigines Protection Act 1909 gives APB the power to remove
    Aboriginal children from their families.
  • radiation sickness

    Atomic tests, code named Operation Totem, are conducted at Emu, South
    Australia. A black cloud passes leaving many Aboriginal people suffering
    radiation sickness.
  • Vote

    All Aboriginal people are given the vote in Commonwealth elections.
  • 91%

    91% of Australian voters vote YES in a Referendum to count Aboriginal
    people in the census and give the Commonwealth the power to make laws for
    Aboriginal people.
  • Sorry Speach

  • Sorry

    Kevin Rudd says sorry to all the aboriginals and the aboriginies of the stolen age