Native Title Act

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Explain why the 1967 Referendum and the Native Title Act were important for Aboriginal People in their Struggle for rights and freedoms. As a result of the 1967 Referendum and the Native Title Act Aboriginal people were given increased rights through the inclusion of Aboriginal people in the Australian Census and the overturning of Terra Nullius as a consequence of Eddie Mabo’s efforts in 1992 resulting in the introduction of the Native Title Act. Through the struggle and push for Freedom and rights the Aboriginal population have removed discriminatory sections within the constitution and improved the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people through the returning of land formally belonging to the Aboriginal people pre European…show more content…
Aboriginals continually pushed for returning of the land, which was formally theirs. Eddie Mabo’s work in 1982 led to the Aboriginal population seeking confirmation of their traditional land rights. Mabo’s increasing efforts resulted in the the High Court showing their findings that native title rights survived settlement, though subject to the sovereignty of the Crown. The High Court recognised the fact that Aboriginal people had lived in Australia for thousands of years and enjoyed rights to their land according to their own laws and customs. The work of Mabo and other lobbying Aboriginals contributed to the introduction of the Native Title Act in 1993. Paul Keating summed up the ideas and the importance of this act towards the increased rights and freedoms for Aboriginals, ‘ We give the indigenous people of Australia, at last, the standing they are owed as the original occupants of this continent, the standing they are owed as seminal contributors to our national life and culture.’ The Native Title Act contained five key ideas, which gave increased justice and freedom to Aboriginals. This act recognised native title, provides validation of any past grants of land that may otherwise have been invalid because of the existence of native title. The legislation was important as it represented a point of balance that recognises everyone's interests in order to improve the relationship between Aboriginal and Non Aboriginal Australians. The Native title act had large significance in the increased struggle for rights and freedom amongst all Aboriginal

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