Land Rights

By aworthington

  • Terra Nullius

    the concept of terra nullius was establised at the settlement of Australia

  • Declaration of Governor Bourke

  • First push for Native Title

    From the 1840's onwards, the British Colonial Office wanted the Australia colonies to give formal recognition to native title and grant rights for Aborigines to share pastoral lands.

  • NSW Petition for rights to land

    In the 1870's, Indigenous groups in part of New South Wales petitioned for their right to own farming land

  • 1967 Referendum

    The 1967 Referendum had delivered administrative responsibillity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to the Commonwealth, but many felt that there still needed to be acknowledgement of traditional ownership.

  • Aboriginal Affairs Policy - Whitlam Government

    The Whitlam Government, elected in 1972, announced self-determination as the framework for Aboriginal Affairs policy and a temporary cessation of mining application licences on COmmonwealth Aboriginal Reserves.

  • Aboriginal Tent Embassy established

    An Aboriginal Tent Embassy was established on the lawn in front of the Australian parliament in 1972, before Whitlam's election, where it has remaied in order to keep the Issue of Aboriginal rights in the public eye.

  • Aboriginal Land Rights Act Passed

    In 1976, after Gough Whitlam had left office, the Fraser Government passed the Aboriginal Land Rihts Act, which officially granted land title to the Gurindji and other tribes in teh Northen Territory. This represented the beginning of a powerful shift in the rights movement.

  • Mabo case is won

    In June 1992, a group of Torrest Strait Islander people who had been led by Eddie Mabo won a court case in the High Court of Australia.

  • Native Title Act is passed

    In December 1993, the government passed the Native title Act to place the Mabo decision in Australian law.

  • Flaws found in Native Title Act due to Wik case

    In 1996, the question of native title on pastoral leases was raised and investigated in the High Court of Australian in the Wik case.

  • Native Title Amendment Bill Passed

    Because of criticism and concern expressed by pastoalists and conservative leaders, the Howard Government introduced a Native Title Amendment Bill in 1997.