The 1967 Referendum

This unit of work focuses on the 1967 referendum which removed two discriminatory sections from the Australian Constitution. These sections had prevented Aboriginal people from being counted in the official census, meaning they did not officially count as citizens. The referendum also gave the Commonwealth Government power over Aboriginal affairs. More than 90% of the Australian people approved these constitutional changes – the largest referendum majority in Australia's history. The unit is based on pages 181–6 from Australia's Democracy: A Short History by John Hirst.

What rights did Aboriginal people have between 1901–1967?
Why did Australian attitudes towards Aborigines change?
What were the consequences of the referendum?
Assessment tasks and Additional resources

Introduction | What rights did Aboriginal people have between 1901–1967? | Why did Australian attitudes towards Aborigines change? | What were the consequences of the referendum? | Assessment tasks and Additional resources

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