Aboriginal And Torres Strait Islanders
by Maddy Revitt
1. 1965
1.1. Given same voting rights as other Australians
1.2. QLD followed other states an permitted Indigenous people to vote in State Elections
2. 1971
2.1. Neville Bonner - filled a casual vacancy, appointed to the Senate - first Indigenous person to be elected in the Senate the following year
3. 1973
3.1. National Aboriginal Consultative Committee established
3.2. More than 27 000 voted in the election of its members
3.3. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission estbalished later - became the main body for representing Ibndigeous people
4. 1979
4.1. Australian Electoral Office established the Aboriginal Electoral Education Program
4.2. Team members travelled to remote communities (WA, SA, NT) to conduct electoral education sessions
5. 1983
5.1. CW Parliamentary Committee recommended that compulsory enrolment should apply to all Australians
5.2. 'Aboriginal natives' no longer referred to in Commonwealth electoral legislation
6. Political
6.1. Right to Vote
6.2. Cosntitution
6.2.1. Census/CW Law making
7. Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody
7.1. Racial Discrimination Act allowed
7.2. Further protecting rights
8. Colonisation
9. 1901
9.1. Aus did not recognise Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders in the Constitution
9.2. s25 and s51 allow the CW to discriminate based on race
9.3. No rights - 'White Australia'
10. 1967
10.1. Referendum with over 90% Yes Vote
10.2. Removal of the words ‘… other than the aboriginal people in any State…' in section 51(xxvi)
10.3. Removal of entire s127
10.4. Votes in favour of including them in the census
10.5. Allow the CW to make laws for their benefit
11. 1962
11.1. Year earlier - Commonwealth Parliamentary Committee set up to investigate/report to the Parliament on Indigenous voting rights
11.2. March 1962 Commonwealth Electoral Act amended to provide that Indigenous people could enrol to vote in federal elections (but not compulsory) - offence to influence them to enrol
11.3. Vote eventually extended to NT and WA - encouraging to enrol - info about electoral process - Voter Education Programs for Indigenous Community Councils
12. Future
12.1. Treaty?
12.2. Constitutional Recognition?
12.2.1. Safeguard/Guaranteed Protection
12.3. s18(c) Removal?
12.3.1. Proof of threat to rights
13. Legal
13.1. Land rights
13.1.1. High Court