Inquiry Questions


1901
The Commonwealth of Australia formed a policy that would change the history of Australia forever, the “White Australia Policy”.
-      What is the “White Australia Policy”?
-      How did it affect indigenous Australians?

1909
Stolen Generation - The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were removed from their families by the Australian Federal and State Government during the period between 1909 and 1969.
-       What is the “Stolen Generation”? Why did the Government remove those Children from their home?
-       How many kids were taken from their homes?

1939
      -  Were the aboriginals trusted?
      -  How was life back in Australia for Aboriginals?

1948
The Commonwealth Citizenship and Nationality Act for the first time gives a category of “Australian Citizenship” to all Australians, including all Aborigines

-       What is The Commonwealth Citizenship and Nationality Act?

1949
Aboriginal people are given the right to enrol and vote in Commonwealth elections if they are enrolled for State elections or have served in the Armed Forces.

-       When were all Aboriginal people given the rights to vote?

1958
Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines (later changed to Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders) was established.

-       What was the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines for?
-       Did it make any changes to how Aboriginals were being treated?
  
 1967
90.77% of Australian community voted "yes" for the to count Aboriginal people in the census and give the Commonwealth the power to make laws for Aboriginal people.

-       When was the first census including Aboriginal people?
1971
Neville Bonner becomes the first ever Indigenous Australian to have a place in the parliament while he was filling a senate vacancy.
-      Who is Neville Bonner?
-      How did the parliament treat him?
1972
The Whitlam Government sets up Department of Aboriginal Affairs (DAA) and introduced ‘self-determination’ as a key guiding principle in Aboriginal Affairs policy-making.
-      What is the new Aboriginal policy of self-determination?
-      What did the Australian public think about this new policy.
1976
The Fraser Government passes Aboriginal Land Rights Acts, by letting aboriginals in the Northern Territory to claim land if they have connections with the land.
-      What was this Acts about?
-      What was the significance of this event?
1985
Uluru and its name are given back to the Aboriginals.
-      What was the history behind the return of Uluru to the Aboriginals?
-      What happened to Uluru as a tourist destination?
1991
The process of reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people started.
-       What is reconciliation?
1992
Prime Minister Keating makes a speech known as the “Red fern Park Speech,” accepting responsibility of the past mistreatment of Aboriginals by the white people.
-      What did he say?
-      What was the reaction of Aboriginals?
2008
Kevin Rudd gives an official apology to the Aboriginals of Australia for all of their past mistreatment.
-      How significant was Kevin Rudd’s apology to the Aboriginals?