Debating Australia’s Future 1960-2000

1. Debating Australia’s Future 1960-2000 Angie Pollock Bendigo Senior Secondary College pollock.angela@bssc.edu.au Attitudes to Indigenous Rights (the 1967 referendum, and 1972 tent embassy)

2. About Bendigo Senior Secondary College • Largest VCE provider in the state • Largely Anglo-Celtic town • Indigenous community is very diverse • Few Jarra or DjaDja Wurrung families • Many in the indigenous community view

3. References • Goodall, H 1996, Invasion to Embassy, Allen & Unwin in association with Black Books, Sydney. • Mirams, S et al. 2006 Imagining Australia, Thomson, South Melbourne • http://www.kooriweb.org/foley/images/history/1970s/emb72/nwsdx.html

4. References • Message Stick • 2008 Episodes 18 and 19 • Film – “Fire talker: The life and times of  Charles Perkins“ • Australia 100 Years: Episode 4 Unfinished Business • Attwood, B & Markus, A 1999, The Struggle for Aboriginal Rights: A Documentary History, Allen & Unwin, Sydney.

5. The Area of Study • “On completion of this unit the student should be able to evaluate the extent to which changing attitudes are evident in Australian’s reactions to significant social and political issues.” • Attitudes to Indigenous rights (The 1967 Referendum and The 1972 Tent Embassy in Canberra)

6. a range of attitudes at each point in time; • the connections between the two significant points in time; • the degree of change in attitudes between the two significant points and the reasons for any change. 2010 Examination

7. The Task • • identification of the attitudes reflected in the representation. Use evidence from the representation to support your comments • • evaluation of the degree to which the representation reflects attitudes about the issues that you have studied at that particular point in time • • analysis of changing attitudes in relation to this issue. To support your comments, use evidence from the other point in time that you have studied. 4 + 8 + 8 = 20 marks

9. The 1967 ReferendumBackground . . . Where to begin? • Faith Bandler • ‘Screen Australia’ • The Warburton Ranges • FCAA and Land Rights • Wave Hill • The 1965 Freedom Rides • Charles Perkins

10. The 1960s and 1970s Context • A time of change and activism I AM WOMAN HEAR ME ROAR

11. A ‘yes’ vote to the 1967 Referendum would . . . • remove s.51 (xxvi) to the Commonwealth Government making special laws with respect to Aborigines and • remove the impediment in s.127 to counting Aboriginal people in the census.

12. 1967 Referendum • Overwhelming support: 90.77% voted YES • The press • Both sides of politics • Church groups • Unions • Professional Associations

13. Possible Learning Activity

14. AttitudesReasons for Voting ‘YES’ • Acceptance • End to discrimination • End to prejudice • More democratic • Aboriginal “special needs” (Kim Beasley Snr) can be met • International Pressure (“The eyes of the world are on Australia”) • No longer relevant

15. ‘No’ Voters Ref: http://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/referendum-1967.html#referendum-results Referendum notes: • The heaviest 'no' voting came from country electorates (e.g. 18% in northern NSW). • In the WA electorate of Kalgoorlie more than 28% of votes opposed the proposal. • The 'no' vote was most dominant in states that had the largest Aboriginal population and have been criticised most for their treatment of Aboriginal people.

16. Referendum Results

17. Changing AttitudesThe 1972 Tent Embassy • Compare two periods of time using ‘Message Stick’ • 2008 Episodes 18 and 19

18. Those supporting the protesters • Labor Party • Bryant • Whitlam • University Students • Some sections of the Press – particularly in the Eastern States with middle class readership • The Age and the Sydney Morning Herald • Unions • Religious Groups

19. Reasons for Support • Support for Land Rights • A symbolic stand against injustices – stressing “blackness” (The Australian, 26/01/1972) • Concern that the McMahon announcement occurred on Australia Day • This reinforces this day as the ‘Day of Defeat’ (The Age, 26/01/1972) for Aboriginal people • Concern about “police brutality” sanctioned by the government

20. Those opposed to the protest • The government • (Mirams) Portrayed ‘black power’ as frightening and divisive • Some Aboriginal activists were concerned about the tactics used (eg Kevin Gilbert believed that many rural Aborigines were “understandable nervous about Black Power” and that urban blacks would come into town and cause trouble, leaving those behind to deal with white anger) • Some sections of the press (particularly in the WA, QLD and SA)

21. Key Reasons for Opposition • Prime Minister McMahon claimed that freehold ownership of land was ‘alien to Aboriginal thought and custom’ • Violence and ‘Black Panther’ connotations • Concerns about Australia’s international image and reputation • Use of the term ‘embassy’

22. The degree of change in attitudes between the two significant points and the reasons for anychange.

23. 1967 1972 • Symbolic • Constitution • Census • State and C/Wealth Boundaries • Disagreement with land rights • Perceived Militancy • Black Power • Use of Parliament House