1. Aboriginal Land Claims
In complete sentences,
Define aborigine
Define assimilation
Define colony

2. 1972 – ancestral land claims from aborigines were denied by Australian government
In protest, many put up a tent on the lawn of Old Parliament House (Canberra) – Aboriginal Tent Embassy
Symbolized how they were treated as foreigners in own country

3. Despite attempts to remove it, the embassy still stood in 2000
Another was set up in Sydney during the Olympics (2000)
Hunting and gathering
Viewed places as sacred
British government viewed the aboriginals as having no ties to the land because they didn’t use it the same way as the British
Farming, mining, building
Terra Nullius – Latin meaning “empty land”
British government took land without making any treaties with aborigines

4. 1788 – British settled Australia, claiming most fertile land
Aborigines fought the “invasion” but were defeated because Europeans had better weapons
Some were moved to reserves; others assimilated
1901 – Australia “gains” independence
– Australian government took around 100,000 mixed children for assimilation
Known as the Stolen Generation
Aborigines very angry – many still pass on cultures and fight assimilation, as well as fighting for land

5. Aborigines recognized as full citizens in 1967
Progress!!
Aborigines recognized as full citizens in 1967
91% Australians voted to pass special rights for them
Land Rights Act of 1976 – gave Aboriginal people the right to claim land in the Northern Territory
Gained ownership of some reserves and unoccupied land
Mabo Case – High Court of Australia decides Eddie Mabo (Torres Strait Islander) was given ownership of land his family had worked for generations after they discovered his family did not own their traditional lands in Murray Islands

6. Court recognized that Aboriginal people had claim to land before British arrival, through their decision
Mabo Case overturns Terra Nullius
Wik Case High Court decides the Wik people (aborigines) claimed land used by ranchers and miners
Two main issues – 1. government owns large amount of land. Ranchers are issued pastoral leases, which rent the land
2. Traditionally, Aborigines had to prove relationship to land to claim it

7. Aborigines could not use land taken up by farming and ranching, so they had trouble proving their relationship
Before 1996, white Australians believed pastoral leases trumped Aboriginal claims
In this case, the court ruled that Aborigines could claim land that was under lease
Many white Australians feared paying Aborigines for land use or losing the land altogether
The government then changed the decision to get rid of Aboriginal claims
Aborigines appealed and won
Land rights are a big controversy