History
For at least 60,000 years Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have lived on the land now known as Australia.
1770Invasion
Captain James Cook claims the land now known as Australia.1788First Fleet
Captain Arthur Phillip and the First Fleet arrive at Botany Bay.1846Petition Queen Victoria
Exiled Tasmanian Aboriginal people on Flinders Island petition Queen Victoria about agreement made with Colonel Arthur.1881Petition from residents of Maloga mission
Petition from residents of Maloga mission (Yorta Yorta) to NSW Governor seeking land grants (residents soon after moved to Cummergunja reserve).1866Petition from Elder, William Barak
‘We should be free like the White Population there is only few Blacks now remaining in Victoria ... and we Blacks of Aboriginal Blood, wish to have now freedom for all our life time’.1890-99Debates over a federal Constitution
Aboriginal people not involved and barely mentioned in Conventions.1891The First Constitutional Convention
The first Constitutional Convention is held in Sydney.1897-98Constitutional Convention Held in 3 States
Constitutional Conventions are held in Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne.1901Protection Legislation
While Australia becomes a nation when the Constitution of Australia comes into force, Aboriginal people continue to be forced onto reserves and missions under racial segregation acts know as ‘Protection’ legislation.1912The Call for Narrandjeri Autonomy
David Unaipon calls for Narrandjeri autonomy over the Point Macleay reserve.1924The formation of AAAPA
The Australian Aboriginal Progressive Association (AAPA) is formed in Sydney.1926Call For An Aboriginal State
Unaipon calls for the establishment of an Aboriginal state.1927Call For the Abolition of Protection and Control
Fred Maynard calls for abolition of protection and control of Aboriginal affairs.1933Petition not sent to king
William Cooper petitions the King seeking intervention including representation in federal Parliament. The Commonwealth did not send it on to the King. Burraga Joe Anderson calls for Indigenous representation in the federal Parliament.1934Urge To Take Over Aboriginal Affairs
David Unaipon urges Commonwealth to take over Aboriginal affairs from the States.1936Torres Strait Maritime Strike
Torres Strait Maritime strike which directly leads to Qld government establishing Island councils which gave them political representation and authority and some power.1937Petition For Representation in Parliament
Yorta Yorta man William Cooper petitions King George VI for representation in Parliament.1938Day of Mourning
The Australian Aborigines’ League and the Aborigines Progressive Association hold a ‘Day of Mourning’, calling for Commonwealth control of Indigenous affairs and a national policy.1949Australia Aborigines League
Secretary of Australia Aborigines League Doug Nicholls wrote to Prime Minister Chifley seeking representation of Aboriginal people in the Federal Parliament.1958Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement
The Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement is created (renamed in 1964 as the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders).1962The Right To Vote
Indigenous Australians granted the right to vote in federal elections.1963Yirrkala Bark Petitions
The Yolngu Nation send the Yirrkala Bark Petitions to the Parliament objecting to the excision of land from their reserve for mining. They were not consulted and ‘fear their needs and interests will be completely ignored as they have been ignored in the past’.1966Walk-off at Wave Hill
Vincent Lingiari and Dexter Daniels led their people in a walk-off at Wave Hill station, NT and fight for wages, land rights and self-determination.1967Inclusion In The Census
A referendum is successfully held to grant legislative power over Aboriginal people to the federal Parliament to include Aboriginal people in the census. This is the highest ‘Yes’ vote in Australian history.1971Federal Court Rules Against Land Rights
The Federal Court rules against Yolngu land rights claim in the first significant land rights case in Australia.1972Larrakia Petition
The Larrakia Petition is signed by hundreds of Indigenous people, calling for land rights and political representation.1973National Aboriginal Consultative Committee
National Aboriginal Consultative Committee (NACC) established and later replaced in 1977 with the National Aboriginal Conference (NAC).1973Land Rights Commission
The Whitlam government establishes a royal commission to examine ways to recognise Aboriginal land rights.1975Racial Discrimination Act
Racial Discrimination Act enacted by the federal Parliament.1976Creation of National Land Rights
Commonwealth used its constitutional power to legislate land rights in Territory. This starts the push to use the power from the 1967 referendum to create national land rights.1977National Aboriginal Conference
The Fraser government creates the National Aboriginal Conference.1979Call For A Treaty
National Aboriginal Conference calls for a treaty to be negotiated between Aboriginal people and the Commonwealth following nationwide consultations with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.1983Two Hundred Years Later
Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs hands down its report Two Hundred Years Later ... which recommends the government consider a treaty in consultation with Aboriginal peoples. The committee also recommends the insertion into the Constitution of a provision ‘which would confer a broad power on the Commonwealth to enter into a compact with representatives of the Aboriginal people’.1988The Barunga Statement
A second bark petition is presented to Prime Minister Bob Hawke by Galarrwuy Yunupingu. The Barunga Statement calls for recognition of Aboriginal rights and for a national elected Aboriginal and Islander organisation to oversee Aboriginal and Islander affairs, and for the Commonwealth to negotiate a treaty. Prime Minister Bob Hawke commits to a treaty by 1990.1989Establishment of ATSIC
The Federal Parliament creates a new independent statutory body, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), after an extensive consultation period including 500 meetings with 14,500 people.1991Breaking The Promise of A Treaty
Breaking the promise of a treaty, the government proposes a statutory Reconciliation process instead. In breaking the promise to deliver a treaty, the government says that Australians need to be educated more about Indigenous peoples. Australia commences a decade of statutory ‘Reconciliation’, with the federal Parliament enacting a law establishing the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation. The government deletes the word 'Justice' from the title of the Act which was originally the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation and Justice.1992Redfern Speech
The High Court hands down the Mabo case, in which it recognises that native title survived colonisation and was not extinguished by the Crown. Prime Minister Paul Keating delivers the Redfern Speech, acknowledging the history of dispossession in Australia.1993Keating Legislates Native Title Into Law
Keating legislates native title into law. After months of pressure, protest and tough negotiations, the Act goes through Parliament. Keating also promises compensation where native title cannot deliver by creating a land fund and a social justice package.1995Recognition, Rights and Reform Report
An ATSIC Committee delivers the Recognition, Rights and Reform report, which is the repair element of the Mabo settlement. It affirms community aspirations to constitutional recognition in light of Mabo. The social justice package remains unimplemented.1997Bringing Them Home Report tabled
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission tables the Bringing Them Home report, which examines the former practice of separating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families. The report recommends an official government apology to the Stolen Generations. Prime Minister John Howard refuses to provide this.1998Hindmarsh Island Bridge decision
The High Court of Australia hands down the Hindmarsh Island Bridge decision, which leaves open the possibility that section 51(xxvi) of the Constitution can be used by the Commonwealth to impose racially discriminatory laws upon Aboriginal people.1999The Referendum
Australia holds a referendum to decide whether to become a republic, and also on whether to adopt a new preamble to the Constitution which acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Howard went ahead with wording that ATSIC and the land councils rejected. It was purely a symbolic mention honouring Indigenous people combined with a vote on the republic. The Australian people rejected both proposals.2000The Roadmap For Reconciliation
The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation delivers its Australian Declaration towards Reconciliation and the Roadmap for Reconciliation. The report reinforces Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander aspirations for a treaty and constitutional change.2005Abolishment of ATSIC
Parliament formally abolishes ATSIC.2007John Howard Announcement
Days prior to the federal election, Prime Minister John Howard announces the government’s intention to hold a referendum to symbolically recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in a new preamble to the Constitution.2008Apology To The Stolen generations
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd presents the Apology to the Stolen Generations. The Australia 2020 Summit is held, with the final report noting the ‘strong view that recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights needs to be included in the body of the Constitution, not just in the Preamble’. The Prime Minister is presented with a Statement of Intent from Yolngu and Bininj Leaders, who express their desire for constitutional protection for traditional land and cultural rights.2010Establishment Of The Expert Panel
Prime Minister Julia Gillard establishes the Expert Panel on the Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Constitution.2012New Race Power
The Expert Panel hands down its report. There is strong support for constitutional recognition. The panel recommends a new race power with words of recognition, removing the remaining clauses that enable racial discrimination and a non- discrimination clause.2013Recognition Act
The Gillard government, with support from the Opposition, passes the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples Recognition Act 2013, to provide an interim form of recognition of Aboriginal people.2014 Joint select parliamentary committee formed
Parliament forms a joint select parliamentary committee, chaired by Senators Ken Wyatt and Nova Peris, to advance the work of the Expert Panel.2015Establish the Referendum Council
Indigenous Leaders meet with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Opposition Leader Bill Shorten at Kirribilli House and issue the Kirribilli Statement. In response, the Prime Minister and Opposition Leader establish the Referendum Council.2016-17Constitutional Reform Discussions
The Referendum Council runs 13 First Nations Regional Dialogues to discuss options for constitutional reform, and to ensure that Aboriginal decision-making is at the heart of the reform process.2017Endorsement of The Uluru Statement
The National Constitutional Convention is held at Uluru and the process ratifies the decision making of the Regional Dialogues. The Uluru Statement from the Heart is issued to the Australian people. This calls for a constitutionally entrenched First Nations Voice to Parliament, and a Makarrata commission to oversee a process of treaty-making and truth-telling. The Referendum Council hands down its final report, which endorses the Uluru Statement from the Heart and its call for Voice, Treaty and Truth. The Turnbull government rejects the call for a Voice to Parliament.2018Recommendation for Co-design
A Joint Select Committee of Parliament to consider the work of the Referendum Council, chaired by Senators Patrick Dodson and Julian Leeser, undertakes its work. In its final report, it finds the Voice is the only viable recognition proposal and recommends that the government ‘initiate a process of co-design [of the Voice] with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’.2019Co-design Process Determines The Nature of The Voice
In the pre-election budget the government commits $7m to a Voice co-design process and $160m to running a referendum. Minister for Indigenous Australians, Ken Wyatt, announces a ‘co-design’ process to determine the structure and functions of the Voice.2021Sydney Peace Prize
The interim report on the Indigenous Voice Proposal is released. Stage two of the ‘co-design’ process commences, inviting feedback on the proposals on the design of the Voice. The Uluru Statement wins the Sydney Peace Prize with co-laureates Pat Anderson, Megan Davis and Noel Pearson.2022The work toward constitutional reform continues...
We continue to walk together for a better future for all Australians.
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