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Federation
The six colonies of Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Van Dieman's Land combined to form a single country - Australia. This was also the start of the White Australia Policy, a group of policies that were designed to ensure that Australia would stay a white working man's paradise. -
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Australia Since Federation
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Women gained the right to vote at Federal Level
On this day the Commonwealth Franchise Act allowing most woman of Australia to vote and stand for elections came into effect.
Indigenous Australians were not granted the same rights until over half a century later in 1962. -
Harvester Judgment - Basic wage for Australians
In 1907 Sir Justice Higgins was worried that Australian workers were not earning enough to feed themselves.
He voiced his opinion and a court case persuded the outcome was a minimum wage for unskilled workers was set at 2 pounds 2 shillings a week. -
Australian Joins the League of Nations
Australia become a founding member of the League of Nations along with 41 other countries meeting in Paris for the first council meeting.
The league of Nations was set up shortly after the end of World War 1, the aims of the league was to stop wars, improve people's lives and jobs, disarment and to enforce the Treaty of Versailles. -
Day of Mourning
On this day members of the Australian Aboriginal Conference assembled in the Australian Hall in Sydney to protest against their callous treatment over the last 150 years since the whiteman had siezed their country. They asked that new laws be enacted to ensure their rights as equals in the community. -
World War II ends
World War II ends, and Australia changes it's attitude about immigration. Thanks to the 'Populate or Perish' way of thinking, Australia came to welcome immigrants. -
Constitutional referendum
On this day 90.77% of Australians voted to have the Constitution changed to allow the Commonwealth to make laws for indigenous people. The government could then try to improve Aboriginal people's lives. The Aboriginal people were now allowed to be counted in the Australian census -
Racial Discrimination Act 1975
On his day under the Australian Law we all became equal no matter what race, colour, nationality or ethnic background. This was to ensure basic human rights and freedom to all Australians. -
Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
The Commission was set up to try and work out why their were so many deaths in custody between 1 January 1980 and 31 May 1989. 339 recommendations come out of this report some of which were police education and to ensure there was proper liason with Aboriginal groups. -
Age Discrimination Act
The Age Discrimination Act was introduced to prevent employers from discriminating against people by age. -
Kevin Rudd Apology
The Hon Kevin Rudd MP, then Prime Minister, apologised on behalf of the entire nation to the Aboriginal People and to the Stolen Generations. This was a major step for recognition of the Stolen Generations.
