Today was the 59th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum, passed by 90.77% of voters. It amended the Constitution allowing Indigenous Australians to be counted in the census and the federal government to make laws specifically for them.
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This was far and away the highest Yes % of any referendum, with full backing from ALP and LNP (or, I suppose, still then LCP.)
Before the referendum Section 51 read,
> “The Parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws for the peace, order, and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to:
…. (xxvi) The people of any race, other than the aboriginal race in any State, for whom it is deemed necessary to make special laws.”
Referendum removed the words “other than the aboriginal race in any State.” This allowed the govt to make laws specifically for Aboriginal people. Benefits of this are things like providing funding and programs specifically targeted for Indigenous issues and communities.
Section 127 was removed entirely,
> In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a State or other part of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives shall not be counted.
Symbolically it meant Aboriginal people would finally be included together as part of the Australian population. More practically it also meant they would be counted in population figures when allocating funding or redistributing federal seats.
I’m worried what the percentage yes would be if that question was asked today
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A source of amusement (for me at least) is that this is the 5th alteration to the Australian constitution, so whenever someone who’s watched too many American law shows wants to “plead the fifth” in an australian legal setting, well, this is it
Silly question, did the federal government have no jurisdiction over Aboriginal peoples prior to 1967? I get that their conditions under state governments was brutal, but had the referendum not happened, would Aboriginal peoples be only subject to state and local laws?
Do we know if this had much (organised) opposition at the time?
Back in the day when boomers were too young to vote.
Proud to see culture in our lives today. But we aren’t there yet!
This would not pass today.
Should this be the new date for Australia day? Abso-bloody-lutely, the day everyone became an Australian. Sky News would have a fit
I remember a mate of mine actually having something like this in a conversation we had not too long ago.
Somewhat of just barely a generation ago this was implemented, but something of a similar concept today might not be done due to gaslighting from parliament or toxicity from the US.
Fucking shameful that it needed to be done, that it happened as late as 1967, and that nearly 10% of voters were against it.