Milestones in Aboriginal Rights

  • 1974 - Councils and claims

    In 1974 the Woodward Royal Commission established principles justice on land rights. It recommended that aboriginal land councils be established to represent the land claims of Aboriginal communities
  • 1975 - Racial Discrimination Act

    In 1975 the Racial Discrimination Act was passed in Federal Parliament.
  • 1975 - The first land rights claim

    In 1975 the Gurindji people won the first Land rights claim and their land was handed back to them by Prime Minister Whitlam.
  • 1976 - Aboriginal State Governer

    In 1976 in South Australia, Pastor Sir Douglas Nicholls became Australia's first Aboriginal State Governer
  • Period: to

    Fraser Liberal Government and the Aboriginal Land Rights

    Another important step was taken when the Fraser Liberal Government passed the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act. This meant that Aboriginal People in the Northern Territory could claim crown land if they could prove traditional ownership and continuous connection with that land. Unfortunately this did not help the peoples who had been forced off their land.
  • 1981 - the Pitjantjatjara land

    In 1981 the South Australian Government handed the Pitjantjatjara lands back to their traditional owners.
  • 1983 - NSW land Acts

    In 1983 the New South Wales Aboriginal Land Rights Act started a process in which the government could buy back the land from aboriginal groups
  • 1985 - Uluru

    In 1985, Uluru (Ayers Rock) was handed back to its traditional Aboriginals owners in the Northern Territory.