What was the wording of the 1967 Referendum?
On 27 May 1967, Australians voted to change the Constitution so that like all other Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would be counted as part of the population and the Commonwealth would be able to make laws for them.
What 2 changes were made to the 1967 Referendum?
Following the 1967 Referendum, the words “… other than the aboriginal people in any State…” in section 51(xxvi) and the whole of section 127 were removed, allowing for Indigenous people to be included in the census, and giving federal Parliament the power to make laws in relation to Indigenous people.
What was the significance of the 1967 Referendum?
The 1967 referendum did not end discrimination in Australia but instead opened a door for the Australian Government to make specific laws that applied to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that could assist in addressing inequalities.
What was the 1967 Referendum and what did and didn’t it change?
It did not give Indigenous Australians the right to vote Although it is a common misconception, the 1967 referendum did not give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the right to vote. This right had already been legislated for Commonwealth elections in 1962.
What was the 1967 referendum influenced by?
Influenced by colonial views of the 19th century, the founding fathers of the Constitution incorporated sections which later ignited discussions which led to the 1967 referendum. These were sections 51 and 127.
What was the outcome of the 1967 referendum in Australia?
90.77% of voters voted in favour of the ‘Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) 1967’, which was the highest ‘yes’ vote ever recorded in a federal referendum.
What basic rights were finally given to Australia’s Aboriginal population in the 1960s?
In March 1962 the Menzies Liberal and Country Party government finally gave the right to vote to all Aboriginal people. Aboriginal people now could vote in federal elections if they wished. Western Australia gave them the State vote in the same year. Queensland followed in 1965.
What was the reason for the change to the Australian Constitution in 1967?
On 27 May 1967, Australians voted in favour of changes to the Australian Constitution to improve the services available to Indigenous Australians. The changes focused on two sections of the Constitution, which discriminated against Aborigines.
What did the 1967 referendum reveal about attitudes towards the Aboriginal people in Australia at the time?
At the time of the 1967 referendum, Queensland and Western Australia, where Aboriginal people still lived ‘under the Act’, retained discriminatory legislation covering the rights, lives and freedom of Aboriginal people (although both these states had allowed Aboriginal franchise).
Who proposed the 1967 referendum?
In 1967, in response to a Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI) petition calling for a referendum on sections 51 and 127 of the Constitution, the Holt Coalition Government introduced the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) Bill 1967 to the Parliament.
What rights did the Aboriginal community not have before the 1967 referendum?
Most Australians thought that the 1967 referendum would allow full citizenship rights for Indigenous Australians. But the referendum didn’t give Aborigines the vote, equal pay or citizenship rights. It also didn’t address their rates of pay or personal freedoms – issues that also needed urgent attention.
Who was involved in the 1967 Australian Referendum?
What did the 1967 referendum do for Indigenous Australians?
The 1967 Referendum was a landmark achievement for Indigenous Australians. Following decades of Indigenous and non-Indigenous activism, over 90% of all Australians voted in favour of amending two sections of the Australian Constitution:
What was the 1967 referendum on the Constitution?
The 1967 referendum On 27 May 1967, Australians voted in favour of changes to the Australian Constitution to improve the services available to Indigenous Australians. The changes focused on two sections of the Constitution, which discriminated against Aborigines.
When did indigenous people get the right to vote?
The right to vote: Indigenous people’s right to vote in federal elections was secured by changes to the Commonwealth Electoral Act in 1962, not the 1967 Referendum Citizenship rights: By 1967, Indigenous people were already legally considered citizens, although many experienced discrimination in their everyday lives
What is a referendum and why is it important?
Referendums are the only way that you can change the Australian Constitution. The 1967 Referendum sought to change two sections of the Constitution in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 90.77 per cent of Australian voters voted ‘Yes’ to the changes.