May Day March in Queensland prior to 1967 ReferendumThe sign on the BLF float reads:
FULL CITZ. RIGHTS for
ABORIGINALS
AWARD RATES & CONDITIONS
TO APPLY IMMEDIATELY
WE DEMAND DECENT LIVING CONDITIONS
VOTE YES
For The Aboriginals on
MAY 27th.
On May 27th 1967 after years of campaigning there was a Referendum to change the Commonwealth Constitution which up until then had said:
"The Parliament shall … have powers to make laws for peace, order, and good government [for] the people of any race, other than the aboriginal race in any State". Another clause said that "In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth … aboriginal natives shall not be counted".
The 1967 referendum achieved the highest ever Yes vote of close to 91%
Australian Council of Salaried and Prefessional Associations (ACSPA) campaign leaflet
Progressive unions in Australia have a long history of support for Aboriginal rights and the 1967 Referendum campaign was certainly part of that.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: "Today marks the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum where over 90% of Australians voted to give the Federal Government power to make laws for indigenous Australians.
The referendum was a major milestone in the long struggle by indigenous Australians for justice and paved the way for equal rights and equal pay for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers.
I congratulate the many people who helped achieve such a tremendous victory in the 1967 referendum.
But it must be acknowledged that the high hopes that accompanied the referendum have not been realized, despite the best efforts of the many indigenous leaders since that time.
The continuing high level of disadvantage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a national disgrace.
The 17 year gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is probably our nation’s most shameful statistic.
After eleven years in office, the Howard Government has no one else to blame for the inadequate health services, poor community infrastructure and lack of education and employment opportunities that still beset indigenous communities," said Ms Burrow.
ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: "Today marks the 40th anniversary of the 1967 referendum where over 90% of Australians voted to give the Federal Government power to make laws for indigenous Australians.
The referendum was a major milestone in the long struggle by indigenous Australians for justice and paved the way for equal rights and equal pay for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers.
I congratulate the many people who helped achieve such a tremendous victory in the 1967 referendum.
But it must be acknowledged that the high hopes that accompanied the referendum have not been realized, despite the best efforts of the many indigenous leaders since that time.
The continuing high level of disadvantage among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities is a national disgrace.
The 17 year gap in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians is probably our nation’s most shameful statistic.
After eleven years in office, the Howard Government has no one else to blame for the inadequate health services, poor community infrastructure and lack of education and employment opportunities that still beset indigenous communities," said Ms Burrow.
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