History Timeline

65,000 B.C. – 1616 A.D.
Aboriginals live according to their ancient laws.

1616
Dirk Hartog is the first European explorer to set foot on Western Australia, near Shark Bay. It is not certain his crew had contact with the Aborginals.

1770
Lieutenant James Cook raises the British flag and claims the east coast of Australia. The British annexation of Indigenous Australia is based on the doctrine of terra nullius. This means that the British believed Australia belonged to no-one before their arrival. In practice this means that indigenous Australians have no rights.

1788
The colonization of Australia begins. The Aboriginals resist and many years of conflict follow. The Aboriginals do not have formal citizenship, but are subjects to the British Royal House. It should be noted also the colonizers had the same status. White male suffrage (right to vote) did not exist unitl 1858.

1804
Also Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) is occupied. British colonizers are given permission to shoot Indigenous Australians.
1837The treatment of Indigenous peoples in all British colonies is investigated. The report expresses its disapproval of the practice of genocide in the Australian colonies.

1886
Under the Aborigines Protection Act all Aboriginals should be provided with food and clothing when necessary and education for Aboriginal children was promoted. The act was aimed to improve the well-being of the Aboriginal people. However, under this act children could also be removed from their families as part of the policy of ‘resocialization.’

1901-1948
In all states laws were made that controlled the movement, marriage and employment of Aboriginal people. Furthermore, children could be removed from their families throughout Australia.

1902
Commonwealth Franchise Act prohibits Aboriginal people to vote.

1905
Under the Royal Commission the the Aborigines Act is adopted. The removal of children was legalized, and reserves and missions were set up. Additionally, under this act the freedom and movement of Aboriginal people was further limited.

1931
Three young girls escape from Moore River Government Settlement and walk 1000 kilometres to their home in Jigalong, evading both Police and Trackers. Their story is depicted in the 2002 Australian film, The Rabbit Proof Fence.

1940s
Professor AP Ekin, the Aborigines Friend Association and others protest against the current Aboriginal policies and lobby for voting rights and overall better conditions.

1944
Aboriginals could obtain under the Natives Act limited ‘citizenship’ if they could prove that they lived a ‘civilized life’ and gave up connections with the Aboriginals who did not have these rights. However, this ‘citizenship’ could be withdrawn at any time.

1948 – 1949
Nationality and Citizenship Act establishes that all Australian-born people are citizens of Australia rather than British subjects. The right to vote in Federal elections is extended to Indigenous people who have served in the armed forces, or who are enrolled to vote in State elections. Indigenous people in Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory still cannot vote in State/Territory elections.

1951
At the Third Commonwealth-State Native Welfare Conference, Canberra formally adopts a policy of assimilation in regards to Indigenous Australians ... "assimilation means that, in the course of time, it is expected that all persons of 'aboriginal blood' or 'mixed blood' in Australia will live like other white Australians do."

1960
Social Service benefits are paid directly to Indigenous Australians for the first time.

1962 - 1965
Aboriginal people obtained the right to vote, although voting is not compulsory.

1967
A Commonwealth Referendum is held. Aboriginal people are given citizenship rights. Commonwealth Government is also given the power to legislate in relation to Aboriginal matters.Federal voting right extended to include all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Indigenous) Australians.

1971
Aboriginal flag is raised for the first time.

1972
Department of Aboriginal Affairs (now Department of Indigenous Affairs) is established.Federal Labor government of Gough Whitlam adopts self-determination as the official government policy in Indigenous Affairs. “White Australia” policy officially abandoned.

1975
Racial Discrimination Act guarantees the right of every Australian, regardless of race, to equal treatment before the law extending to voting, freedom of movement, property ownership, education and right of access privileges.

1980
First ‘Aboriginal’ appearance in a United Nations Forum.

1988
Australia's representative to the United Nations Human Rights Committee acknowledges: "public policy regarding the care of Aboriginal children, particularly during the post-war period, had been a serious mistake." Thousands of Indigenous people and supporters march through the streets of Sydney to celebrate survival on the Bicentennial of British colonization of Australia.

1992-1993
The High Court’s decision on the Mabo case and the Native Title Act was legalized

1999
Australian Prime Minister John Howard passes a formal motion of reconciliation.

13 February 2008
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologizes on behalf of the Government to the Aboriginal people for past suffering. Although no compensation is offered, Rudd promises to close the 17 year life expectancy gap within a generation by adopting new policies.