When did aboriginals gain full voting rights in Australia?

21 May 1962
The Commonwealth Electoral Act 1962 received assent on 21 May 1962. It granted all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people the option to enrol and vote in federal elections.

What did the 1967 referendum change?

On 27 May 1967, Australians voted to change the Constitution so that like all other Australians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples would be counted as part of the population and the Commonwealth would be able to make laws for them.

Why was the 1967 referendum on Aboriginal rights the most successful in Australia’s history?

Cultural competence The 1967 Referendum was the most successful in our history winning 93 percent of votes cast. This empowered the national government to make laws in respect of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that could assist in addressing inequalities.

Who led the 1967 referendum?

1967—Prime Minister Harold Holt announces that the Constitution Alteration Bill has passed in both Houses of Parliament allowing for a referendum to be called on whether or not Australia should change the wording of the constitution.

What rights did the Aboriginal community have before the 1967 referendum?

Prior to the Referendum, making laws for First Nations people was the responsibility of the states, and laws varied greatly from state to state. For example, First Nations people could own property in New South Wales and South Australia but not in other states.

How did 1967 referendum affect aboriginals?

The 1967 referendum did not end discrimination in Australia but instead opened a door for the Australian Government to make specific laws that applied to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that could assist in addressing inequalities.

Did the 1967 referendum give the right to vote?

The 1967 referendum did not give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the right to vote. This right had been legislated for Commonwealth elections in 1962, with the last State to provide Indigenous enfranchisement being Queensland in 1965.

Did the 1967 referendum fail?

Most Australians thought that the 1967 referendum would allow full citizenship rights for Indigenous Australians. But the referendum didn’t give Aborigines the vote, equal pay or citizenship rights. It also didn’t address their rates of pay or personal freedoms – issues that also needed urgent attention.

Did people protest for the 1967 referendum?

There were protests held to try and change this, but they were ultimately unsuccessful, and no territory citizen was allowed to vote in the 1967 referendum.

When did Aboriginal get their rights?

It is often stated that the 1967 referendum granted citizenship and the right to vote to Aboriginal people, for the first time.