Documents include letters, newspaper articles, government reports, archival records and cabinet submissions that are referred to in the Land rights sections:
- Download The struggle for Mapoon1.6 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.6 mb ]
Source: Cairns Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Advancement League, 6 November 1962, Joe McGinness Papers, MS 3718, Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander Studies, Canberra
- Download Closure of Mapoon Aboriginal Mission1.6 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.6 mb ]
In keeping with its 5th principle 'The absolute retention of all remaining reserves, with native communal or individual ownership', the Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement opposed this closure.
Source: Prepared by Stan Davey, Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement, 1962
- Download FCAA objections to Pechiney lease claims308.1 kb pdf [ PDF | 308.1 kb ]
The Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement (FCAA) took legal action against the Pechiney Aluminum company's application to lease Yirrkala land at Melville Bay.
Source: 'Yirrkala', Barry Christophers Papers, 1951–1981, MS 7992/8, box 16, National Library of Australia
Source: 'Yirrkala', Barry Christophers Papers, 1951–1981, MS 7992/8, box 16, National Library of Australia
This report was prepared by Gordon Bryant, Member for Wills and Vice-President of the Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement, and Kim Beazley senior, Member for Fremantle, following their visit to Yirrkala in July 1963.
Source: 'Yirrkala', Barry Christophers Papers, 1951–1981, MS7992/8, box 16, National Library of Australia, Canberra
This petition is from representatives of Yirrkala clans concerning proposed mining of their traditional lands. This version of the Bark Petition contains a copy of the petition. The original petition is in storage to prevent the signatures from fading.
Source: Parliament House, Canberra. Images courtesy National Archives of Australia, Canberra
- Download Report on grievances of Yirrkala Aborigines3.9 mb pdf [ PDF | 3.9 mb ]
Report of the House of Representatives Select Committee on Grievances of Yirrkala Aborigines, Arnhem Land Reserve, 1963.
Source: Parliamentary Papers 1962–63, No. 311
- Download 'Writs halt huge Gove scheme'216.7 kb pdf [ PDF | 216.7 kb ]
Source: Sunday Telegraph, 15 December 1968
- Download ‘Gove plan is 1788 colonialism, claims Coombs’293.6 kb pdf [ PDF | 293.6 kb ]
Source: The Australian, 6 January 1969
Source: Document 128 in Bain Attwood and Andrew Markus, The Struggle for Aboriginal Rights: A Documentary History, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1999
- Download Crown ‘invalidated rights of natives’541.2 kb pdf [ PDF | 541.2 kb ]
Source: The Sun (Melbourne), 28 April 1971
Source: National Archives of Australia, Melbourne
Source: Council for Aboriginal Rights, MS 12913/7, State Library of Victoria
Shirley Andrews' speech in May 1963 at a United Nations seminar on police and human rights generated many letters to newspapers.
Source: Box 3/4, Council for Aboriginal Rights (Vic.) Papers, MS 12913, State Library of Victoria
- Download Australia condemned at United Nations seminar330.3 kb pdf [ PDF | 330.3 kb ]
Shirley Andrews represented the London Anti-Slavery Society at this seminar. Her short speech drew attention to infringements of Aboriginal people's human rights in Australia.
Source: The Age, 4 May 1963
- Download Letter to the Editor responds to United Nations speech175.3 kb pdf [ PDF | 175.3 kb ]
Responding to The Age’s report on Shirley Andrews' speech, this writer argued that Aborigines should be treated 'as human beings with equal rights'.
Source: Letters to the Editor, The Age, 8 May 1963
- Download Stuart Sayers, ‘Human failure of Lake Tyers experiment’433.0 kb pdf [ PDF | 433.0 kb ]
The publication of this article generated community response to the issue: most letters to the editor opposed the idea that the settlement be abandoned and remaining Aboriginal residents be assimilated into the community.
Source: The Age, 11 May 1963
- Download Stan Davey to the Editor of The Age141.9 kb pdf [ PDF | 141.9 kb ]
Stan Davey opposes the plan to close Lake Tyers.
Source: Letters to the Editor, The Age, 14 May 1963
The writer of this Letter to the Editor put the argument that Lake Tyers should be developed along cooperative lines.
Source: Letters to the Editor, The Age, 15 May 1963
Source: The Age, 15 May 1963
This citizen argued that Lake Tyers should be maintained as a 'home to which aborigines can return periodically'.
Source: Letters to the Editor, The Age, 15 May 1963
- Download Lorna Lippmann to the Editor of The Age100.2 kb pdf [ PDF | 100.2 kb ]
Anthropologist Lorna Lippmann argued, among other things, that Lake Tyers was for Aborigines the 'last remaining holding in a State which was once entirely theirs'.
Source: Letters to the Editor, The Age, 17 May 1963
- Download Donald Thomson to the Editor of The Age130.5 kb pdf [ PDF | 130.5 kb ]
Anthropologist Donald Thomson argues against the government's policy on the Lake Tyers reserve.
Source: Letters to the Editor, The Age (Melbourne), 23 May 1963
- Download Doug Nicholls to the Editor of The Age173.2 kb pdf [ PDF | 173.2 kb ]
Doug Nicholls sets out his arguments for the retention of Lake Tyers.
Source: Letters to the Editor, The Age (Melbourne), 27 May 1963
- Download 'The dispossessed'1.1 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.1 mb ]
The Lake Tyers Committee produced this brochure in 1965 as a part of its campaign to increase community support.
Source: Council for Aboriginal Rights, MS 12913/3/8, State Library of Victoria
- Download 'Lake Tyers and the Aborigines of Gippsland'1.1 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.1 mb ]
The Communist Party of Australia played a supportive role in the 'Save Lake Tyers' campaign.
Source: Reprinted from the Victorian Guardian, 2 May 1963
In this article, anthropologist Dr Diane Barwick opposed the plan to move residents and sell Lake Tyers.
Source: Smoke Signals, April–June 1965
Source: Box 3/9, Council for Aboriginal Rights (Vic.) Papers, MS 12913, State Library of Victoria
- Download 'Lake Tyers celebrates'346.0 kb pdf [ PDF | 346.0 kb ]
In 1971 the Victorian Government handed the Lake Tyers title back to the community.
Source: Identity, October 1971
- Download ‘The history of Lake Tyers’, Merle Jackomos633.8 kb pdf [ PDF | 633.8 kb ]
This article was written by Alick Jackomos, Merle Jackomos' non-Aboriginal husband. Identity favoured contributions by Aboriginal authors. So, with Merle's approval, the article was submitted under her name.
Source: Identity, October 1971
- Download 'Boy!'174.1 kb pdf [ PDF | 174.1 kb ]
This article draws attention to the patronising and racist terms used to address Aboriginal people at this time.
Source: Melbourne Herald, 22 February 1965
- Download 'Program for improved living standards'254.3 kb pdf [ PDF | 254.3 kb ]
This Northern Territory Council for Aboriginal Rights resolution on improving Aboriginal living standards was composed at the people's request by Frank Hardy following a meeting which set out these points.
Source: Barry Christophers Papers, 1951–1981, MS 7992/8/7, National Library of Australia
Source: National Library of Australia, Frank Hardy Papers, 4887/73/6
Source: National Archives of Australia, Darwin
- Download We don't want these land 'rights'266.1 kb pdf [ PDF | 266.1 kb ]
Aboriginal protesters opposed the proposed Northern Territory Bill which would enable Aborigines to lease and then sell land within Aboriginal reserves.
Source: Northern Territory News, 28 February 1968
- Download Abschol campaign brochure: Boycott Vestey’s products971.3 kb pdf [ PDF | 971.3 kb ]
Source: Save the Gurindji Campaign, Barry Christophers Papers, MS 7992, National Library of Australia
- Download 6th Vincent Lingiari Memorial Lecture1.2 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.2 mb ]
- Download Four major issues in assimilation1.3 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.3 mb ]
Source: National Missionary Council of Australia, June 1963
- Download Aboriginal land rights editorial1.4 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.4 mb ]
Source: On Aboriginal Affairs, no. 7, March–April 1963
- Download Parliamentary speech on land rights, 1963886.7 kb pdf [ PDF | 886.7 kb ]
Source: Commonwealth of Australia, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), House of Representatives, 23 May 1963, pp. 1795–97
- Download On Aboriginal Affairs, 19645.6 mb pdf [ PDF | 5.6 mb ]
This issue contained a range of articles on land rights issues, both in Australia and overseas.
Source: On Aboriginal Affairs, no. 12, July–August 1964
Frank Engel, General Secretary of the Australian Council of Churches, set out the main arguments for land rights in this pamphlet.
Source: Box 11, Folder 12, Gordon Bryant Papers, MS 8256, National Library of Australia
- Download Methodist Commission on Aboriginal Affairs1.2 mb pdf [ PDF | 1.2 mb ]
Source: Methodist Church of Australasia, Victoria and Tasmania Conference, Commission on Aboriginal Affairs, 1967
- Download FCAATSI presidential report, Easter 196824.0 kb pdf [ PDF | 24.0 kb ]
Source: Council of Aboriginal Rights papers, MS 12913/10/8, State Library of Victoria
Source: Bryant papers, MS 8256, National Library of Australia
Source: The Age, 20 June 1968
- Download Aboriginal Land Rights statement, 1968434.4 kb pdf [ PDF | 434.4 kb ]
This document contains the statement by the Minister for the Interior, PJ Nixon, on 8 August 1968 regarding Northern Territory Aboriginal Land Rights.
Source: Peter Nixon, Aboriginal Land Rights leaflet, Australian Government Printing Service, Canberra, 1968.
- Download Leaflet advertising land rights meeting, Brisbane, 1968115.0 kb pdf [ PDF | 115.0 kb ]
Source: Riley Ephemera collection, State Library of Victoria
- Download Mick Rangiari interview40.9 kb pdf [ PDF | 40.9 kb ]
Source: Northern Territory Archives Service
- Download Land rights petition, FCAATSI, 1968160.0 kb pdf [ PDF | 160.0 kb ]
Source: Pittock papers, Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies, Monash University
Barrie Pittock, convenor of the Legislative Reform Committee of the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI) in 1966, wrote this history of FCAATSI.
Source: Courtesy Barrie Pittock
Source: Identity, July 1971
Source: This document is in Bain Attwood and Andrew Markus, The Struggle for Aboriginal Rights: A Documentary History, Allen and Unwin, 1999, pp. 236–237
- Download May Day marchers support Aboriginal land rights561.4 kb pdf [ PDF | 561.4 kb ]
Source: The Australian, 3 May 1971
- Download Prime Minister McMahon rejects land rights45.5 kb pdf [ PDF | 45.5 kb ]
Source: Pamphlet, Commonwealth Government Printing Office, Canberra, 26 January 1972
Source: The Australian, 26 January 1972
Source: The Australian, 25 January 1972
Source: Identity, July 1972
Source: The Australian, 14 July 1972
President of the Australian Council of Churches, Bishop Garnsey's telegram protesting the removal of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy and supporting Aboriginal land rights legislation.
Source: A463, 1972/3205, National Archives of Australia, Canberra
This telegram drew a parallel between the attitudes of the South African and Australian governments towards the treatment of indigenous peoples.
Source: A463, 1972/3205, National Archives of Australia, Canberra
This writer requested that the government 'give these people back their land and their dignity'.
Source: A463, 1972/3205, National Archives of Australia, Canberra
This letter writer announced an intention to vote Labor, describing the Prime Minister William McMahon as a racist.
Source: A463, 1972/3205, National Archives of Australia, Canberra