Rights And Freedoms- Australia Flashcards
When was Cummeragunja created? Where? Where did residents come from? Why?
1881 on the NSW side of the Murray River on 1800 acres. Residents came from Maloga Mission as they were dissatisfied with the founder Daniel Matthews.
What were some positives of this station? Who were some people who benefitted from this?
Residents managed and farmed station initially. Also allowed to go to school for more than the legal three years. Jack Patten, Doug Nicholls and William Cooper.
Who was William Cooper? What did he do? Where did he come from?
He came from Cummeragunja and fought for Yorta Yorta people from Station. He left Station in 1933 to Footscray at 72 from old aged pension and formed the Australian Aborigines League with other exiles.
When was the 100th anniversary of settlement? What happened?
- Aborigines boycotted but few noticed as they were often ignored.
When did they boycott again for an anniversary?
The 150th in 1938. It was the Day Of Mourning. It was organised by the Australian Aborigines League (Vic) and Aborigines Progressive Association (NSW). They refused to do the re-enactment and met at the Australian Hall in Eliz. hall Sydney. 100 matched on Sydney.
What is a manifesto? What was it called at DOM? What did it start with?
A public declaration of intentions. Aborigines Claim Citizen Rights. “This festival of 150 years of so-called “progress” in Australia commemorates also 150 years of misery and degradation imposed on the original native inhabitants by white invaders to this country.”
Why did Cummeragunja fall into neglect?
The 1909 Aborigines Protection Act meant that the Aborigines Protection Board had full control over Koori people and Station. 1915 amendment allowed for their children to be removed and in other areas of NSW. By 1939 there had been a number of deaths attributed to minimal rations, lack of sanitation and space.
Who was Jack Patten? Describe early life? When a d where did he move?
Civil rights activist and journalist. Born in 1905 at Cummeragunja mission in the Yorta Yorta nation. He won a scholarship to join navy to continue education but was rejected due to race. In Salt Pan Creek where he went in 1929 he gave equality speeches on sundays.
What major things did Jack Patten do?
In 1938 he published the first Aboriginal newspaper called Abo Call. With William Ferguson he formed the Aborigines Progressive Association. He went to visit PM Lyons with ten point plan for equality with other elders five days after DOM but they were rejected as Aboriginal people were not under the commonwealth.
What did Jack Patten say at DOM?
“We ask for full citizen rights, including old-age pensions, maternity bonuses, relief from work when unemployed, and the right to a full Australian education for our children.”
What protests did he later lead? What did he do in later life? When did he die?
In 1939 he went to Cummeragunja to help the people leave bad management and go to Vic. He was arrested. After leaving jail he convinced the gov to allow aboriginal people to be able to go to war. So he enlisted but was wounded in Middle East in 1942 so was sent home. He then went to northern Australian to help prevent invasion. He was killed in an accident in Fitzroy in 1957.
Who enforced terra nullius? Who did farmers lease from?
By governor Bourke in 1935. From the Crown.
What were early efforts to change land rights?
1840s onwards the British Colonial Office wanted colonies to give formal recognition to native title and grant rights for Aborigines to share land- farmers rejected this. 1870s Indigenous people of NSW petitioned to own farm land.
What changed in government in the 1970s?
Self determination became the framework of Aboriginal Affairs. Aboriginal people were best placed to determine what happened to them and there land. 1976 Fraser passed Aboriginal Land Rights Act which officially granted land title to Gurindji people and other NT tribes, big change but mining companies still continued to consult gov without consulting owners.
What was the tent embassy? When was it set up? Why? What happened? What were their demands? What did a placard say?
Before Whitlam election a tent embassy was set up on the lawn on parliament in 1972. It was made in response to the slow progress in Aboriginal Rights. Also to protest traditional land ownership acknowledgments that hadn’t been made in referendum. Legal and title rights to currently mined land, preservation of sacred sites and compensation for unreturnable land-$6 bill and percentage of percentage of gross income. It was demolished and they were arrested but it was remade in 1992 and it remains. “White Australia you are living on stolen land.”
When was the Aboriginal flag created? By who? What does it represent?
1971 by Harold Thomas. Black- Aborigines, night sky, red- earth or bloodshed, yellow- sun
When was the Mabo case won? By who? What did this mean?
June 1992 some Torres Strait Islander people led by Eddie Mabo won land rights in High Court. Native title could apply to all claims that had not been stolen or given away.
What is crown land?
Land that is considered to belong to the state
When was the Mabo decision placed in Australian law? What did this mean? How did the reassure groups of miners etc.?
December 1993 Native Title Act did this. It confirmed ownership to al those who purchased land. Claimants also had to prove that Indigenous people had an unbroken connection to land. National Native Title Tribunal developed a research process that was necessary before an application could be made.
When was Eddie Mabo born? Who was he? When did he start his politics awakening? What did this lead to? What was it called? When did he die? What happened after?
He was born in 1936 in Mer Island in the Torres Strait. He was to inherit it. In 1981 he spoke at a Land Rights Conference at James Cook Uni. This lead to a 10 year legal battle for Mer Island and challenged Terra nullius. It was called Mabo vs. Queensland. It took a toll on his help and he died in Jan 1992 and 5 months later he won.
When was the Wik decision? What was it? What happened?
1996 the question of native title on pastoral land was raised in High Court in Wik case. Th Wik people of Cape York argued native title could exist along pastoral leases. Court agreed but said Riggs of pastoralists would prevail. Pastoralists had exclusive right to land but could not possess.
What is a pastoral lease? How much of Australia?
Allows publicly owned land to be used by farmers and graziers but do not grant them sole tenture. 42% of Aus Land mass.
What did Howard do with the native title? What did this cause?
He made the Native Title Amendment Bill in 1997 and removed native title on all land (crown and pastoral). Aus was the first Western country to explain its human rights position to the UN.
Who made the ATSIC? What was it?
The Hawke gov made the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission in March 1990. It was an elected body selected by indigenous Australians created to help indigenous people be involved in gov. Had executive and representative roles with 35 regional offices and a budget.
When was the ATSIC Act made? What was it made to do?
- Ensure Aboriginal people participation in gov policies, promote Indigenous self management, to further economic, social and cultural development, to coordinate Commonwealth, state, Territory and local gov affecting aboriginal people
Why was the ATSIC criticised in the early 2000s? What was said about it?
For lack of progress.
“You elect your own mob [and they] vote for funding for their own mob rather than this who have greater need… This is a white fella organisation, not a black fella one.” - Lowitja O’Donoghue (first chairperson)
The western democratic processes didn’t work for Aboriginal people. It also only had 46% of Commonwealth funding towards aboriginal affairs and did not have responsibility over health care, social security or education.
