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Stolen Generation
Over 100,000 Aboriginal children were forcefully removed from their families and put in foster homes with the hopes of cutting the children off from their culture, assimilate them into white society, provide cheap labour for white employers and 'breed out the colour' as they married whites. Girls were often treated as slaves, while men worked in farms, living off basic rations and little to no cash. This lasted for over 50 years. -
'Aborigines Claim Citizen Rights'
This was the first time Aboriginal people made a protest, which was widely reported in papers. Now many Australians started to notice of their plight. -
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World War II
Even more people became aware of the Aborigines, due to WWII. Many of them served in armed forces and moved to towns to work in wartime industries. -
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Changing Attitudes
After the war, Indigenous Australians were now allowed to enrol for voting, drink in hotels, and travel without restrictions. By 1960 they received pensions and maternity benefits, however, there were still many issues with payment, access to facilities control of children and land rights. -
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Indigenous Australians take action
A group made a tour through New South Wales, protesting about discrimination in shops, theatres, clubs and pools. a year later, 200 workers walked off the Wave Hill cattle station; wanting better wages and conditions. Finally, in 1967, after 90% 'yes' votes, Indigenous Australians could vote. -
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Aboriginal Land Rights
After the Embassy said that they were now going to fight for better education and health. In return the government then commissioned recommending that the Aboriginals should get back the land where they traditionally lived. However the northern territory law only gave them some areas of arid and largely useless land. -
Stolen land and children
When Britain claimed the lands of Australia, assuming 'no one owned them', some islanders challenged this, saying they have lived there for thousands of years. The high court agreed, saying they were racist and wrong, so in 1993, indigenous Australians were allowed to claim land rights -
Bringing them Home
The stolen generation of the Aboriginals was one of Australia's worst secrets, but in 1997, the People's Rights Commission reported on this and made a few recommendations: A national sorry day, information about it will be taught in schools, compensations for those affected and apologies from the government, police and churches. -
March Across Sydney Harbour Bridge
250,000 people walked across the Harbour Bridge and 400,000 marched in Melbourne, carrying signs of the Prime Minister's refusal to apologise to indigenous Australians -
Hope for the Future
Indigenous Australians were caught in a culture trap; between their past lives and the moden Australian life. Although they owned some land it is mostly desert and useless. Their population is growing rapidly and governments help people adapt to moder life. Their goal is to restore the Indigenous Australians nationhood through many ways such as fair human rights, providing compensation and apologies, recognising the 20,000 that died and supporting talented Aboriginals.