-
Stealing people
Seven year old Lorna Cubillo was seized by officials and thrown into a truck with 15 other Aboriginal girls. They were taken to a church-run foster home and was later sexually abused. She was one of 100,000 Aboriginal children who were removed from families and put in foster homes or missions run by whites. This policy started in the 1910s and lasted until the late 1960s. -
Aborigines Claim Citizen Rights
On Australia day 1938 a meeting of Aboriginal people was held in Sydney. A document called 'Aborigines Claim Citizen Rights' was circulated. This declaration was the first time Aboriginal people made a national protest. It was reported in the papers and many white Australians now started to take notice of their plight. -
World War 2
The awareness of the second-class status of Indigenous Australians became even more obvious to the general public as a result of World War II. Many Aborigines served in the armed forces and thousands moved into the towns to work in the wartime industries. -
Changing attitudes and better treatment
After World War II white attitudes toward the first Australians began to change. During the 1950's the Indigenous Australians were allowed to, enrol for voting, drink in hotels and travel without restrictions. By the early 1960's Aboriginal adults received pensions and maternity benefits. But inequalities remained in pay, voting, access to facilities, control of children and land rights. -
Freedom Riders demand equal treatment
A group led by Aboriginal activist Charles Perkins made a bus tour through New South Wales. They protested about discrimination in shops, theatres, bars, clubs and swimming pools. -
Land rights to be granted to first Australians
A government commission recommended that Aboriginals should get back the land where they now lived and had traditionally lived. -
A long way to go
In the early 21st century the Indigenous Australians are caught in a culture trap. They are at various stages between their proud past and the modern Australian life. Although Indigenous Australians now own some land, it is mostly desert and economically useless. The Aboriginal population is now growing rapidly and the governments need to help people adapt to modern life. -
Walk for reconciliation
250,000 people walked across Sydney Harbour Bridge and up to 400,000 marched in Melbourne in December. Many marchers carried signs and banners critical of the Prime Minister's refusal to say 'Sorry' to indigenous Australians for pasts wrongs. -
Hope for the future?
The challenge for Australia in the 21st century is to restore Indigenous Australian's ride and nationhood. Positive steps could involve, giving them a fair deal over land rights, providing compensation to the 'stolen generation', saying 'sorry' officially and recognising that possibly 20 000 died defending their land in 'Australian wars'. -
The Northern Territory Government repeals its mandatory sentencing laws
The Northern Territory Government presents a parliamentary motion of apology to people who were removed from their families. -
National day of healing for all Australians
The National Sorry Day Committee announces that in 2005, Sorry Day will be a ‘National Day of Healing for All Australians’ in an attempt to better engage the non-Indigenous Australian community with the plight of the Stolen Generations.