How did the 1967 referendum impact the Aboriginal people?
The Referendum has had a lasting impact on First Nations policies. It enabled the Federal Government to pass the (Northern Territory) Land Rights Act, which has benefited many First Nations people.
What were the main arguments for the 1967 referendum?
The proposed law (Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967) sought to give the Commonwealth Parliament power to make laws with respect to Aboriginal people wherever they lived in Australia. It also sought to make it possible to include Aboriginal people in national censuses.
What were the effects of the 1967 referendum?
The 1967 referendum did not end discrimination in Australia but instead opened a door for the Australian Government to make specific laws that applied to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that could assist in addressing inequalities.
How did people protest for the 1967 referendum?
Our people also continued to face issues regarding our rights such as health and land rights. This led to many protests and rallies led by community such as the Freedom Ride or the Gurindji Strike. As we continued to fight for our rights, we began to gain an increase in support from non-Indigenous Australians.
What was the 1967 referendum question?
1967 Referendum The first question sought to break the nexus that existed between the number of Senators and Members of the House of Representatives in order to permit an increase in the number of Members without increasing the number of Senators. This question was defeated by a 3 to 2 majority of Australian voters.
What rights did the Aboriginal community not have before the 1967 referendum?
Most Australians thought that the 1967 referendum would allow full citizenship rights for Indigenous Australians. But the referendum didn’t give Aborigines the vote, equal pay or citizenship rights. It also didn’t address their rates of pay or personal freedoms – issues that also needed urgent attention.
What is the significance of the 1967 referendum and how do we continue to contribute to a fairer and more just society?
The 1967 Referendum contributed significantly to Australian political, social and cultural history. The staging and outcome of the Referendum indicated Australian society’s maturity and willingness to recognise fundamental human rights and to give Aboriginal people a fair go.
What was the purpose of the 1967 referendum in Australia?
In 1967 the majority of Australians voted to change the Australian Constitution to count Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the national census. This video from the ABC’s Behind the News explores how the 1967 referendum was part of a movement for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights.
What was the 1967 referendum not about?
The 1967 referendum did not give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the right to vote. This right had been legislated for Commonwealth elections in 1962, with the last State to provide Indigenous enfranchisement being Queensland in 1965.