Civil Rights Movement

  • (Australia) FCAA formed

    The Federal Council for Advancement of Aborigines was formed in Australia with the goal of creating equal rights for Indigenous Australians and to end discrimination in the constitution.
  • (Australia) Aboriginal people given the right to vote

    (Australia) Aboriginal people given the right to vote
    The Commonwealth Electoral Act is amended to give Indigenous Australians the right to vote. However, it was not yet compulsory, as it was for white Australians.
  • (Australia) Strike and land claim

    (Australia) Strike and land claim
    200 men and women at the wave hill pastoral station go on strike due to poor wages and treatment compared to the white workers, camping on land near the Victoria River, claiming the land as theirs by heritage. This strike triggered a nation-wide discussion of Aboriginal pay and land rights.This discussion continued and eventually resulted in the land rights legislation 10 years later.
  • (Australia) New government elected.

    A new government led by Gough Witlam promises to legislate on Aboriginal land rights and abolish the White Australia policy, eventually leading to the Aboriginal Land Rights Act.
  • (Australia) Aboriginal land rights act

    (Australia) Aboriginal land rights act
    The Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act was passed, recognising Aborigines as traditional land owners for the first time.
  • (Australia) Uluru handed back to tradional owners

    (Australia) Uluru handed back to tradional owners
    Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock) is handed back to it's traditional Indigenous owners by the Hawke Labour government.
  • (Australia) Formal apology to aboriginal people

    (Australia) Formal apology to aboriginal people
    Kevin Rudd issues a formal apology on behalf of the government for past treatment, particularly the stolen generations and the families and communities involved.