Changing Rights and Freedoms of Indigenous Australian
CHANGING RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
The treatment of indigenous Australians by the government has been an issue of contention since White Europeans settled in Australia.
This chapter examines changing government policies including protection, assimilation, integration and self-determination. This chapter also gives an overview of Indigenous Australian protests for equality and land rights and responses to these issues from the government.
Protection
* This was government policy during the second half of the 1800s and into the early 1900s. * Aboriginal people were removed from their traditional lands and placed on reserves (government run) or missions (church-run). * The government argument was that this was done ‘for their own protection’, as they were a ‘dying race’. * It was really a policy of segregation where Aboriginal culture could be replaced by white culture under the control of the authorities and they could be ‘civilised’ and ‘Christianised’. * It also allowed land previously occupied by Aborigines to become pastoral land. * Aborigines had to seek permission to marry, to work or to move somewhere else to live. * ‘Mixed blood’ or ‘mixed race’ children were removed from their families, the Stolen Children, and brought up with white families and taught ‘useful’ skills such as domestic work and simple trades. * They were labelled as neglected and destitute and Australian governments had had a long policy of removing children ‘at risk’ from their families. It happened on a large scale with Aboriginal children.
Assimilation
* This was a change in policy but not necessarily a change in reality. * This government policy was introduced in 1951 by Paul Hasluck, Federal Minister for Territories. * Aborigines were encouraged to ‘think white, act white, be white’ with the intent that they would eventually live like white Australians. * It forced Aborigines to totally abandon their traditional
The treatment of indigenous Australians by the government has been an issue of contention since White Europeans settled in Australia.
This chapter examines changing government policies including protection, assimilation, integration and self-determination. This chapter also gives an overview of Indigenous Australian protests for equality and land rights and responses to these issues from the government.
Protection
* This was government policy during the second half of the 1800s and into the early 1900s. * Aboriginal people were removed from their traditional lands and placed on reserves (government run) or missions (church-run). * The government argument was that this was done ‘for their own protection’, as they were a ‘dying race’. * It was really a policy of segregation where Aboriginal culture could be replaced by white culture under the control of the authorities and they could be ‘civilised’ and ‘Christianised’. * It also allowed land previously occupied by Aborigines to become pastoral land. * Aborigines had to seek permission to marry, to work or to move somewhere else to live. * ‘Mixed blood’ or ‘mixed race’ children were removed from their families, the Stolen Children, and brought up with white families and taught ‘useful’ skills such as domestic work and simple trades. * They were labelled as neglected and destitute and Australian governments had had a long policy of removing children ‘at risk’ from their families. It happened on a large scale with Aboriginal children.
Assimilation
* This was a change in policy but not necessarily a change in reality. * This government policy was introduced in 1951 by Paul Hasluck, Federal Minister for Territories. * Aborigines were encouraged to ‘think white, act white, be white’ with the intent that they would eventually live like white Australians. * It forced Aborigines to totally abandon their traditional