-
Day of Mourning
A major media event when the public became actively aware of the mistreatment and poor conditions that Aboriginals had faced. On the 150th anniversary of settlement in Australia, Aboriginals were forced to help with the re-enactments of the first fleet, such as playing actors for the enjoyment of the white people. On this day, many people including Pearl Gibbs took to the Australian Hall on Elizabeth Street making an appeal for recognition of past sufferings and injustice. -
Period: to
Rights Movements
-
Freedom Rides
In 1965, Charles Perkins led a group of university students on a journey around Australia, informing the general population of the injustices that had and were being committed to Aboriginal people via a stolen bus. This was significant for a as it helped to spread the message of injustice to everyday white people by drawing attention to themselves in driving around a big white stolen bus. -
Wake Hill walk off
One of the first movements of strikes came when a group of 80 Aboriginal workers walked off Wave Hill Cattle Station in protest over the unjust wages and poor treatment and living conditions. Vincent Lingiari led the protest, which gained widespread media attention including the Prime Minister Gough Whitlam to come out and meet him to grant his land back. This protest was extremely significant because it was one of the first and most public protests made by Aboriginal people -
Referendum
– On May 27, the Harold Holt federal government held a referendum to give Aboriginal people citizenship. The result was over 90% of ‘Yes’ votes. This was extremely significant because it was the first and only referendum to be passed plus also helped establish aboriginal rights as they now were considered citizens and also counted on the census. -
Tent Embassy
A major protest point that made the injustices faced by Aboriginals obvious parliament and the Prime Minister. After setting up the tent right on the lawns of old parliament house Aboriginals still today protest about their rights and the wrongdoings of the past. This was significant as it really was a big push for the government to recognise their injustices, in the view point of not only the whole media, but also the Prime Ministers office. -
Sir Douglas Nicolls Becomes Governor
This showed how certain aboriginal people were taken into more respects by the government and by the public when he became the governor of South Australia. This was a high point due to the fact that Aboriginals were now being placed in high ranking positions, with the ability to use their influence for the good of all people, including Aboriginals. -
Link Up
‘Link-Up’ aids Aboriginal people in finding family members that were taken or relocated during the Stolen Generations, to help reconnect their culture. ‘Link-Up’ was a significant step in Aboriginal rights because it gave Aboriginal people a hope of actually being restored with their families after such a dramatic period of time- the stolen generations. -
Bringing Them Home Report
In 1997, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission published the ‘Bringing Them Home’ report. This report not only targeted the domestic violence and absent behaviour of present Aboriginals affected of the stolen generation period, but also led to many mental illnesses and deprived children whom had been taken away by their families for unnecessary means. This was important as the government finally took action of the wrongdoings in the past regarding Aboriginal welfare as a key priority -
Kevin Rudd's Sorry Speech
Official apology from the government – Kevin Rudd’s sorry speech officially recognised the faults of the past and apologised for the wrongdoings involved in the Stolen Generations. It made national headlines for at least a week and was taken with much appreciation as the lawns of parliament were flooded with Aboriginal people affected by it. It was a significant event as we for the first time we as a nation apologised on Mr Rudd’s behalf.
