Mabo Case Study

The Mabo Decision was the result of Eddie Koiki Mabo 's efforts to campaign for Aboriginal civil and land rights, a response to the discrimination Aboriginal communities have been subjected to in their own land, beginning from the arrival of the First Fleet and continuing to the present day despite numerous efforts. Prior to Mabo, the policies of Terra Nullius and Crown Land were seen as an unfair violation, and no representatives from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community decided to litigate it in court until Mabo and others from Murray Island took initiative. Eddie Mabo 's campaign for civil rights succeeded through legislation such as the Mabo Decision, Native Title Act, and the Wik Decision. Their campaign was highly effective in the way of Aboriginal civil rights; the Mabo case and its subsequent outcomes became significant for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
The policies of Terra Nullius and Crown Land favoured European beliefs of land over Aboriginal beliefs; several campaigns were held to protest against this prior to Mabo. Aboriginals believed …show more content…
The Mabo case was much more successful than its predecessors, it was a effective response to the unfair treatment that Aboriginal people faced from European settlers and the Australian government. The outcomes were successful in allowing Aboriginal people to have their recognition as the rightful owners of their land legitimised by law. The Mabo v Queensland case, the Native Title Act, and the Wik Decision, were all key factors in the restoration of land rights for Aboriginal people. The aforementioned legislations all signified victory in Mabo 's campaign and subsequently provided a sense of civil rights for the Aboriginal community of Australia; Mabo will forever be revered as a hero in Australian history due to his