the 1967 Referendum

27th of May 1967

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander learners are advised that the following page contains images and voices of deceased persons.

Lesson 1 - the 1967 referendum

to know - the significance of the 1967 referndum

to be able to - explain the significance of the changes made to the australian consitution by the 1967 referendum

task 1 - introduction to the 1967 referndum

This video is great for outlining the 1967 Referndum, what it changed at its criticisms.

Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900

key facts about The Constitution and how to change it

The Australian Constitution came into effect on 1 January 1901, it outlined the rules of the nation.

Since 1901, 19 referendums have proposed 44 changes to the Constitution; only eight changes have been agreed to. One of these was the 1967 Referndum.

A referendum is only passed if it is approved by a majority of voters in a majority of states, and by a majority of voters across the nation.

why did it need to change?

Before 1967, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people weren’t recognised as part of the Australian population.

There were two parts of The Constitution that prevented this.

The first was Section 51 which granted the Commonwealth to make laws for people, except for Aboriginal people who were granted 'special laws.'

The second was Section 127, which stated that 'aboriginal natives shall not be counted’ in the census.

Laws regarding First Nations people varied from state to state. This meant that an Indigenous person could be arrested in QLD for something they were doing in NSW. There was great inequality in the treatment of laws associated with Indigenous people between the states and territories.

A poster titled Smoke Signals created by the Aborigines' Advancement League (ALA) to promote rights for Indigenous Australians

task 2 - watch Defining Moments: 1967 referendum

This video is useful for understanding the mistreatment of First Nations Australians and racist laws that enabled this.

Write down three facts on the need for the 1967 Referendum while watching this video.

A How to Vote Card created by the Labor Party to show people how to vote in support of the changes

the proposed changes to the Constitution in the 1967 referendum

A Yes vote supported the removal of sections of the Constitution so:

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people would be counted in the official figures collected in the census

• The Federal Government would be responsible for making laws for Indigenous people.

drivers of the 1967 referendum

Events such as the 1938 Day of Mourning, the 1965 Freedom Rides and the Wave Hill Walk-Off (in its second year of the strike at the time) attracted media attention and allowed Australians to see the inequality and racism happening in the country.

The Stolen Generation was also still occuring, children were still being forcibly removed from their families.

Charles Perkins is greeted by students at Inverell Airport

Source - Ann Curthoys

1967 Referendum results by state

outcome of the 1967 referendum

On the 26th of May 1967, 90.77% of people who voted, voted 'Yes.' Therefore, the Australian Constitution was changed.

First Nations people would be counted as part of the census and the Federal Government was now responsible for making laws to protect First Nations people.

myths

There are a lot of myths about the 1967 Referendum and the laws regarding First Nations people before 1967.

One of them is Indigneous people being considered part of the flora and fauna of Australia. The truth is actually worse, First Nations people didn't exist as anything in eyes of the Constitution.

Another myth is that the 1967 Referendum gave First Nations people the right to vote. However, QLD was the last state to grant First Nations people to right to vote in 1965.

The last popular myth is that the Referendum allowed First Nations people to be considered citizens of Australia.

A Yes Vote poster from 1967

Source - State Library of New South Wales)

Task 3 - Sources on the 1967 Referendum

Schooling | Right Wrongs

Source - State Library of South Australia

Source 1 - Apinya's letter

Eric Api (Apinya) is celebrated as being the first Indigenous person to write a letter in his native language. He attended the Ernabella school in Pukatja where all students learnt to read and write in their first language.

Click this link to watch this video on Apinya's letter. If you don't have headphones or want to read the letter instead, click here.

1 - Why was Ernabella a unique school?

2 - Who do you think Apinya was writing for? Use evidence from the source?

3 - What did Apinya thank the reader of this letter for?

4 - What religion was taught to Apinya in his school?

5 - How can you tell people in Pukatja were still maintaining their way of life?

6 - Why do you think Apinya wanted to tell his reader about the real name of his home?

7 - How did the 1967 Referendum help kids like Apinya, his school and his community?

Source 2 - A photograph of Walter Davis' exemption card. In the photograph, Walter's daughter Dorrie is holding his Exemption card which she has kept.

Read the certificate (zoom in) and the description of Exemption Certificates underneath the photo before answering these questions.

1 - What was a name people used for a Certificate of Exemption?

2 - What did a Certificate of Exemption allowed an Indigenous person to do?

3 - What did an Indigenous person have to give up to recieve one of these certificates?

4 - How old was Walter when he recieved his certificate?

5 - Think back to previous lessons, why do you think he needed one of these certificates?

6 - Higher order thinking time! Look at the date Walter got this Certificate of Exemption. How does this source link to the 1967 Referendum?

The 'dog licence' was another name for Certificates of Exemption. It was a licence to live in a white man's world. It allowed an Aboriginal person to enter town, vote, and send their children to the local school.

Certificates of Exemption were seen by authorities as a key to 'assimilation', but could be withdrawn at any time. To get one, you were forced to renounce your culture, language and family who were still living on missions and reserves.

Source - Aunty Dorrie Moore

Source 3 - Images from the Mary Montgomerie Bennett Collection

Mary Bennett was a teacher at the Mount Margaret Mission, and a fierce advocate for the local community, campaigning for better access to healthcare and age pensions. Mary organised for the Kalgoorlie photographic studio to take this series of images. She posted the photos to Shirley Andrews, secretary of the Council for Aboriginal Rights, with handwritten notes explaining the various issues they were facing.

Look at the photos and read Bennett's annotations (zoom in) before answering these questions.

1 - Why did Bennett take these photos and write these notes on them?

2 - What occupations did Jacob Bilson have?

3 - Why couldn't Bilson work when Bennett took these photos? What is he waiting for?

4 - Why was Reg Cable shot in the leg?

The third and fourth photos are of the same person, Joyce Tapakari.

5 - What was the occupation of Tapakari's husband?

6 - What challenges did Joyce Tapakari face in 1960 and why?

7 - Why was Tapakari's children victims of The Stolen Generation?

8 - These sources were made in 1960. How does this source link to the 1967 Referendum?

Source - Mary Montgomerie Bennett Collection, State Library of Western Australia

Source - State Library Victoria

Source 4 - A poster titled Smoke Signals created by the Aborigines' Advancement League (ALA) to promote rights for Indigenous Australians

Look at the poster and read it before answering these questions.

1 - How did the ALA appeal to the public's sense of inclusion and humanity?

2 - This poster was made in 1961, why is it useful for understanding the need for the 1967 Referendum?

Source 5 - Records of the Council for Aboriginal Rights (Vic) for the Yes campaign during early 1967

Read the fact sheet before answering these questions. I've organised the questions into their paragraphs for you.

Extermination

1 - What stories did the Council for Aboriginal Rights use to justify their opinion on the need for change in Australia?

Discrimination

2 - What happened in the year before this fact sheet was published in a Victorian town? What happened the following year?

3 - How does this paragraph link to the Freedom Rides?

4 - What event was Theresa Clements and her children a victim of?

Not A Citizen

5 - What is the topic of this section of the fact sheet?

6 - What did Albert Namitjira say the Australian Government?

Source - State Library Victoria

Slavery and Exploitation

7 - How much money were Indigenous stockmen and gardeners paid in the NT?

8 - What did 'Argus' say about his treatment of First Nations workers?

What Can Be Done

9 - What document did the Council for Aboriginal Right reference to prove their points on the mistreatment and racism towards First Nations people?

10 - Why is this fact sheet useful for understanding the 1967 Referendum?

Source - State Library of NSW

Source 6 - How to Vote Cards produced by the Labor and Liberal parties

Read the cards from both political parties before answering this question.

1 - Look at the authors for both cards. What do these sources show us about the public opinion of the 1967 Referendum in the lead up to the vote?

Source 7 - A poster made by the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders as part of the Yes Campaign for the 1967 Referendum

Read the poster before answering these questions.

1 - What is the largest word on this poster? Why did the council make this decision?

2 - Why did the council use a photograph of a baby on this poster?

3 - How did the council use a play on words to show their audience they have the power to change Australian society?

4 - Why is this source useful for understanding the 1967 Referendum?

Source - State Library of South Australia

task 4 - putting your knowledge into action

Answer the following question as the Laywer paragraph structure. The Lawyer is a good paragraph structure for writing in History. Time how long it takes you to complete the paragraph using the timer below.

Explain the significance of The 1967 Referendum. In your answer, refer to relevant sources and their usefulness. Ensure you reference the reasons change was needed and what exactly changed.

homework

History has more meaning beyond the classroom

Educate someone you know about the 1967 referendum, what parts of the constitution it changed and why

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