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Federation
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Coniston Massacre
A white dingo trapper was killed with traditional weapons and the body hastily buried. The trapper may have been killed because he breached Aboriginal marriage law. Soon after the discovery of his body, a series of reprisals were undertaken by groups of men made up of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal men. Over a period of months and at a number of sites, more than 60 Aboriginal men, women and children were shot and killed. Collectively these incidents became known as the Conniston Massacre. -
"Dhakiyarr vs. The King" High Court appeal
A Yolngu elder from northeast Arnhem Land, was found guilty of the murder of a white policeman and sentenced to death. An appeal to the High Court made “Dhakiyarr vs. The King” the first case of an Aboriginal Australian to be heard in that court. The High Court established the right to a fair trial for Indigenous Australians, for the first time considering both British Law and Aboriginal customs, and the importance of Indigenous interpreters who spoke the same Aboriginal language as the accused. -
Day of Mourning Protests
Whilst white Australians celebrated the 150 year anniversary since Captian Phillip proclaimed British sovereignty at Sydney Cove, Aborigines wanted legal reforms made and to gain equal rights. A group of Indigenous leaders declared “26th January 1938 is not a day of rejoicing for Australia's Aborigines; it is a day of mourning”. The Day of Mourning was organised as a protest against European colonisation. After the meeting, a list of ten equal-rights demands was made to present to PM J. Lyons -
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
An international document that states basic rights and fundamental freedoms to which all human beings are entitled. It was the first agreement between countries for a comprehensive statement of non-negotiable human rights.
The UDHR included 'all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world' and declared that human rights are universal – to be enjoyed by all people, no matter who they are of where they live. -
Aboriginal Tent Embassy
Aboriginal people erected the Tent Embassy in 1972 in Canberra to protest against a court decision over mining operations on Aboriginal land. Jan 1972, PM McMahon told Aboriginal Australians they would have to lease land they had no rights to. In protest, an Embassy was erected on Parliament lawns. Feb 1972, Embassy members petitioned the Government for control of the NT, which led to Self-Government. The Embassy has become a heritage-listed landmark for Aboriginal protest. -
"Bringing Them Home" Report
A 680 page report, initiated in 1995 and tabled in Parliament 1997, investigating the “National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families”. It concluded that "indigenous families ... have endured gross violations of their human rights. These violations continue to affect indigenous people's daily lives. They were an act of genocide, aimed at wiping out indigenous families, communities, and cultures, vital to ... the heritage of Australia."
