The political and legal system in Australia has provided both advances and setbacks for the Indigenous Australians. There have been many setbacks for Aboriginal people in their fight for equal legal and political rights like the legislation 's, constitution, voting rights and parliamentary laws. They have also had some gradual advances from the amendments to the electoral act, the 1967 referendum and Prime Minister Whitlams actions to give land back.
Early on in Australia 's history Indigenous people had many setbacks in their political and legal rights. The Stolen Generation was a big setback for Aboriginal people. From the 1800s to the 1970s Aboriginal children were forcibly taken from their parents as the government thought they would …show more content…
The first advance for Indigenous people was the first Aboriginal political organisation to link with many communities over wide ares. This was the Australian Aboriginal Progress Association. This was a step toward the Aboriginal people standing up for their rights to be a citizen and to vote. A number of strikes and walk outs took place from 1936 to 1949 by Indigenous Australians and supporters. They were peaceful protests for equality and justice. This was an advance for the Aboriginal people as they started to care more about the political and legal system and want to get involved. The 1949 Australian Citizenship Act was both an advance and a setback It meant that Aboriginal people were starting to get a say but everyone was still not a citizen. In 1962 the Commonwealth Electoral Act allowed all Aboriginal people to vote in the Commonwealth elections. This was a big step in letting everyone have the right to vote and giving the Indigenous people the choice as enrolling wasn 't compulsory. The advances before the 1960s were slow and gradual but there were some advances for the Aboriginal …show more content…
The Australian freedom rides were based on the freedom rides that were happening in America. Sydney University students went around New South Wales and aimed to draw attention to the bad living standards of the Aboriginal people, to break down the social barrier between Aboriginal and white people and to support the Aboriginal people in withstanding public discrimination. This showed the support for the Aboriginal people and the growing protest for equal rights in the legal and political systems. The 1967 Referendum further fortified that Australia did support the Aboriginal people and wanted them included. 91% of Australian voted in favour of Aboriginal people being counted in the Census and for the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people. This meant that they were now counted in the population and the same laws would be applied for Aboriginals in all States. In 1975 the racial discrimination act was passed and the Prime Minister Gough Whitlam gave back some land to the Gurindji people. In recent times something that helped the Aboriginal people in their healing process was Kevin Rudds 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations. This helped further show how the Australian government wanted to make amends for any past wrongdoings to the Aboriginal people. This showed that they wanted to move forward. Since the 1960s the Aboriginal people have and manny advance in their political and legal
Early on in Australia 's history Indigenous people had many setbacks in their political and legal rights. The Stolen Generation was a big setback for Aboriginal people. From the 1800s to the 1970s Aboriginal children were forcibly taken from their parents as the government thought they would …show more content…
The first advance for Indigenous people was the first Aboriginal political organisation to link with many communities over wide ares. This was the Australian Aboriginal Progress Association. This was a step toward the Aboriginal people standing up for their rights to be a citizen and to vote. A number of strikes and walk outs took place from 1936 to 1949 by Indigenous Australians and supporters. They were peaceful protests for equality and justice. This was an advance for the Aboriginal people as they started to care more about the political and legal system and want to get involved. The 1949 Australian Citizenship Act was both an advance and a setback It meant that Aboriginal people were starting to get a say but everyone was still not a citizen. In 1962 the Commonwealth Electoral Act allowed all Aboriginal people to vote in the Commonwealth elections. This was a big step in letting everyone have the right to vote and giving the Indigenous people the choice as enrolling wasn 't compulsory. The advances before the 1960s were slow and gradual but there were some advances for the Aboriginal …show more content…
The Australian freedom rides were based on the freedom rides that were happening in America. Sydney University students went around New South Wales and aimed to draw attention to the bad living standards of the Aboriginal people, to break down the social barrier between Aboriginal and white people and to support the Aboriginal people in withstanding public discrimination. This showed the support for the Aboriginal people and the growing protest for equal rights in the legal and political systems. The 1967 Referendum further fortified that Australia did support the Aboriginal people and wanted them included. 91% of Australian voted in favour of Aboriginal people being counted in the Census and for the Commonwealth to make laws for Aboriginal people. This meant that they were now counted in the population and the same laws would be applied for Aboriginals in all States. In 1975 the racial discrimination act was passed and the Prime Minister Gough Whitlam gave back some land to the Gurindji people. In recent times something that helped the Aboriginal people in their healing process was Kevin Rudds 2008 National Apology to the Stolen Generations. This helped further show how the Australian government wanted to make amends for any past wrongdoings to the Aboriginal people. This showed that they wanted to move forward. Since the 1960s the Aboriginal people have and manny advance in their political and legal