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South Australia Colonised
The South Australia Act of 1834 proclaimed South Australia to be “waste and unoccupied lands...fit for the purposes of colonisation”.
Proceeds of the sale of land were to be used for the purposes of relocating labourers there, from Britain. Colonial Office (government structure at time) attempted to prepare for Aboriginal welfare and land rights prior to their colonisation. -
Protector of Aborigines
Matthew Moorhouse was appointed first full-time Protector, to promote understanding between settlers and Aboriginal people, to teach Aboriginal people “civilised” living skills (reading, building houses, making clothes), and to preach Christianity.
In the same year it was made an offence to give alcohol to an Aboriginal person.
Rations stations were set up across the state issuing small amounts and an often poor quality of flour, biscuits, tobacco and blankets to Aboriginal people. -
Frontier conflict
One of the most documented examples of frontier violence in South Australia is the alleged murder of the passengers of Maria. The government responded by executing two Aboriginal people allegedly involved. There are documented reports of settlers poisoning flour and waterholes. This frontier conflict, coupled with introduced diseases and illnesses, significantly and quickly reduced the Aboriginal population. -
Forced removal of children from their families
Forced removal was official government policy during this period but also happened before and for some time after.
Governments, churches and welfare bodies all took part.
Started officially with the State Children’s Council removing allegedly neglected children to school and educate them in Christianity. -
Early Aboriginal Activism and Protest
Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association and the Aborigines Progressive Association (NSW) were NSW groups formed to campaign for full citizenship rights for Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal representation in Parliament and abolition of the New South Wales Aborigines' Protection Board. -
National Apology to Stolen Generations
On 13 February 2008 the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, made a formal apology to the Stolen Generations in the House of Representatives. -
National Congress
The Australian Government announced the establishment of the National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples, the new national representative body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. -
National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health (Plan 2013-2023)
Holistic plan aimed at honouring the commitment of the Australian Government to close the gap in life expectancy between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.
