Timeline of the Indigenous Rights Movement

  • Human Rights

    Day of mourning held by the Aborigines League and the Aborigines Progressive Association. It is the first major protest by Indigenous people. The manifesto "Aborigines Claim Citizen Rights" and the newspaper "Abo Call" are published.
  • Voting Rights

    All Indigenous people are given the vote in Commonwealth elections.
  • Voting Rights

    Through the referendum, Indigenous Australians have the right to be counted in the census and the Commonwealth Government has the power to make laws for them
  • Human Rights

    Tent Embassy established outside Parliament House. It adopts the Indigenous flag.
  • Land Rights

    Whitlam hands back title to Gurindji people
  • Human Rights

    Racial Discrimination Act 1975 passed
  • Land Rights

    Aboriginal Land Rights Act (NT)
  • Land Rights

    Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW) recognizes dispossession and displacement
  • Land Rights

    Uluru handed back to traditional owners
  • Land Rights

    Mabo decision by the High Court overturns terra nullius and rules that native title exists over unalienated Crown land, national parks, ​and reserves
  • Land Rights

    Native Title Act
  • Land Rights

    The High Court rules in the Wik decision that native title and pastoral leases can co-exist.
  • Human Rights

    Commonwealth Parliament makes the ​statement of commitment to Reconciliation
  • Human Rights

    Bringing Them Home, the report of the inquiry into the Stolen Generations is released. It recommends a national sorry day to commemorate the history and effects of removing children from their families.​
  • Land Rights

    Native Title Amendment Act 1998 is passed; seen by many to reduce native title rights for Indigenous people.
  • Human Rights

    Prime Minister Kevin Rudd says "sorry" to the Stolen Generations
  • Human Rights

    Prime Minister Julia Gillard announces plans to recognize Indigenous Australians in the Constitution​.