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A PETITION FOR A REFERENDUM
Jessie Street urges the Aboriginal leader Pearl Gibbs and South Sea Islander activist Faith Bandler to form the Aboriginal–Australian Fellowship and to start a petition for a referendum to change the constitution. Although they collect up to 100,000 signatures at this time, it takes a further 10 years of campaigning before the referendum takes place. -
FCAA Forms
Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines (FCAA) forms and becomes an important organisation in the campaign for the 1967 referendum by petitioning for changes in the constitution and by focusing attention on the treatment of Indigenous Australians. Kath Walker, who later called herself Oodgeroo Noonuccal, becomes FCAA’s campaign national coordinator and tours Australia, raising awareness and lobbying for change. -
Aboriginals are allowed to vote
The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1918 is amended so that Indigenous people can enrol to vote in Federal elections. However, unlike for other Australians, it is not compulsory for them to enrol. Labor minister Kim Beazley Senior argues for the deletion of sections 51 and 127 from the constitution, but it is argued that such changes disadvantage the Indigenous population -
The Freedom Ride
The Freedom Ride, inspired by the African American Civil Rights movement in the United States, is organised by a group of students, and led by Aboriginal student Charles Perkins from the University of Sydney, to bring attention to the racism and segregation in western New South Wales towns. -
A Bill is Put Forward
A bill is put to the House of Representatives to repeal section 127 of the constitution but not section 51. Members from FCAATSI travel to Canberra to campaign for changes to section 51 as well. -
The Laws are Changed
Prime Minister Harold Holt announces that the Constitution Alteration Bill has passed in both Houses of Parliament allowing for a referendum to be called on whether or not Australia should change the wording of the constitution. The date is set for 27 May 1967. The constitution is formally changed on 10 August 1967.
