The Modern World and Australia

Depth Study 4 (Incorporating the Overview)

Rights and Freedoms 1945 - present

1. Introduction to Rights and Freedoms
2. The UN
3. The UDHR
4. Australia’s Involvement in the UN
5. Early Indigenous Rights
Case Study 1 : A.M. Fernando
6. Protection Policy
7. 1938 Day of Mourning
Case Study 2 : William Cooper

TBA

8. Stolen Generation
Case Study 3 : Testimonies
9. Assimilation Policy
10. 1962 Voting Rights
11. The NSW Freedom Rides
Case Study 4 Charles Perkins
12. 1967 Referendum
13. Site Study – Aboriginal Tent Embassy
14. Mabo
15. Reconciliation
16. Bringing Them Home
17. Apology
18. US Civil Rights Movement
19. Martin Luther King Jr
20. US Freedom Rides

Film Study : Our Generation

Film Study : 42

Created at Bonnyrigg High School by Warren Macaulay

With thanks to the dozens of people who reached out to help

Questions, comments to [email protected]

1 Rights and Freedoms
All human beings have rights. We call these “Human Rights”. The Australian Human Rights Commission
describes what human rights are in Source 1. Unfortunately throughout history these rights have not
always been recognised, or upheld.
Indigenous people of Australia have suffered from a
Source 1 lack of recognition of their rights since the arrival of
Human rights recognise the inherent value of each the British in 1788. Land has been taken, culture
person, regardless of background, where we live, destroyed, lives lost, in part because their rights were
what we look like, what we think or what we believe. not respected. Government policies since
colonisation have not treated indigenous people with
They are based on principles of dignity, equality and
mutual respect, which are shared across cultures, the “dignity, equality and mutual respect” that the
religions and philosophies. They are about being Australian Human Rights Commission suggests all
treated fairly, treating others fairly and having the people should have. The 20th century, and now, the
ability to make genuine choices in our daily lives. 21st, has been a time of struggle for the rights of
Respect for human rights is the cornerstone of indigenous people.
strong communities in which everyone can make a
In America, African Americans have also struggled for
contribution and feel included.
equality respect. Slavery ended in America in 1865
- following the Civil War, but for the past 150 years the
descendants of these former slaves have had their
own struggle for equality. Recently you may have heard of the #blacklivesmatter movement.
In both Australia and America there have been civil rights movements, particularly during the 1960s,
where the rights and freedoms of people have been demanded. Sometime the demands have come
peacefully, other times violence would arise, even assassinations.
Many gains have been made for indigenous Australians and African Americans, but the struggle for
rights and freedoms is an ongoing one.

Glossary
Source 2
• Assimilation
• Civil Rights
• Dispossession
• Freedom Rides
• Integration
• Mabo Decision
• Native Title
• Paternalism
• Protection
• Racism
• Referendum
• Reconciliation
• Self Determination
• Segregation
• Stolen Generation

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

1 Rights and Freedoms
Understanding Sources

1. Define the non-glossary words in bold. 1. Where is source 1 from?

2. What do all human beings have? 2. According to source 1 what does the
3. What has been unfortunate about source suggest human rights recognise?
human rights? 3. According to source 1 hat are the
4. Describe how indigenous people have principals of human rights based on?
suffered. 4. In what way does source 1 state the
5. What has the 20th and 21st century been reason for respecting human rights?
a time of? 5. What type of source is source 2?
6. How has America struggled with rights? 6. What information can you get from
7. How have people in Australia and source 2?
America attempted to have rights 7. When do you think source 2 was
recognised? created? Give reasons
8. Does everyone have their rights 8. In what ways do sources 1 and 2 show a
respected tof contradiction?

Creativity
1. Create a mind map of ideas associated
with human rights? E.g. Research and extension
1. Define or write a brief description of
each of the terms in the glossary on the
front page.
Freedom 2. Which of these terms do you think are
the most important?
3. Visit the link below.
4. What kind of website is it?
Human 5. According to the website, what are the
Racism
rights different ways of defining human rights?
6. Which human rights issue do you think is
the most important? Give reasons and
examples in your answer

https://www.humanrights.gov.au/our-work/education/human-rights-explained-fact-sheet-1-defining-human-rights

For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others. - Nelson Mandela

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

1 Rights and Freedoms

Match the words with the meanings

Assimilation a vote on the constitution. It must have a majority of votes in a
majority of states to pass.

Dispossession policy of encouraging Indigenous people and migrants to take on

Australian ways and customs

Protection treating people as children who cannot make their own decisions

Paternalism government policy controlling all aspects of Indigenous

people’s lives

Referendum bringing Indigenous and non-indigenous people together by

acknowledging past wrongs

Reconciliation taking of land from Indigenous people by European settlers

Self Determination keeping different races apart

Segregation policy allowing Indigenous people a say in policies affecting them

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

2 The United Nations
After the horrors of World War Two, the victorious nations decided they would try to create an
organisation where nations of the world could come together to cooperate, and so the United Nations
was created in 1945. This had been tried before after World War
One when the League of Nations was created, but it had failed to Source 1
stop World War Two. While the League of Nations was seen as
weak and powerless, especially with the U.S. refusing to join, the
United Nations was seen as more promising as it had the support of
all the major allied nations, including the world’s two new
superpowers the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. The logo (source 1) shows all
the nations of the world surrounded by a wreath made from olive
branches, the tradional branch of peace.
The United Nations was designed to mainly help keep peace and to
help countries cooperate to solve problems, the purposes of the UN
are set out in its charter, which
Source 2 is set of rules it has to follow.
The four main purposes of the UN The main sections of the United Nations are
Charter
• The Secretariat
1. Maintain worldwide peace and • The General Assembly
security
2. Develop relationships among • The Security Council
nations • The Economic and Social Council
3. Encourage cooperation between • The International Court of Justice
nations in order to solve economic,
social, cultural, or humanitarian The Secretariat is the part of the UN that contains the office of the
international problems leader of the UN, known as the Secretary General. The Secretary
4. Provide a place to bring countries
together General is appointed by the General Assembly, traditionally every 5
years.

The General Assembly is the main meeting body of the UN and 193
recognised countries out of 195 are represented there, only Palestine, and the Vatican City are not.
Another few countries, like Taiwan and The Cook Islands are not recognised as independent by the UN.

The Security Council has the main responsibility for keeping peace in the world. It has 5 permanent and
10 non-permanent members who vote on actions taken by the UN, like sending peacekeeping forces.
The 5 permanent members are the US, China, Russia, France, and
Source 3 Britain. The permanent members have a veto power. This means
any of the 5 permanent members can stop the UN taking any action
The United Nations' founders if they want to.
understood that decisions affecting
war and peace should happen only by The Economic and Social council deals with money issues,
consensus, and with America's
sustainability, and relief programs.
consent, the veto by Security Council
permanent members was enshrined The International Court of Justice provides judges who make rulings
in the United Nations Charter. The
profound wisdom of this has about international legal issues such as territorial rights and who
underpinned the stability of has permission to fish in which parts of the sea.
international relations for decades.
- Vladimir Putin

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

 2 The United Nations
Source 4 Source 5
The whole basis of the United Nations is
the right of all nations - great or small - to
have weight, to have a vote, to be attended
to, to be a part of the twentieth century.
- Adlai Stevenson I

What’s the Big Idea?

• UN created after WW2

• Main role is to keep peace and
encourage cooperation
• Permanent Security members
have veto power

Understanding Sources
1. Define the words in bold. 1. Who is the author of source 3
2. Why was the United Nations created? 2. What is his job?
3. Describe the logo of the UN. 3. What is meant by “decisions affecting
4. Which organisation came before the UN war and peace should happen only by
and what was its big failure? consensus”?
5. What was the opinion of the League of 4. What is Putin’s view about the veto
Nations? power?
6. Why was the UN seen as more 5. Why do you think he mentioned
promising? America?
7. What are the four main purposes of the 6. Is source 3 reliable? Why/why not?
UN? (source2) 7. What is being said in source 4?
8. What are the main sections of the UN? 8. In what way is source 4 different to
9. Describe the function of the source 3 in its view of power in the UN?
a. Secretariat 9. What type of source is source 5?
b. General Assembly 10. Who do the animals represent?
c. Security Council 11. What does the boat represent?
d. Economic and Social Council 12. The person speaking is Kofi Annan the
e. International Court of Justice former President of the UN. What does
10. What special power do the 5 permanent he mean by “unbalanced”?
members have? 13. Compare source 3 with source 5

Creativity Visit the link, then create a poster showings some of the different types of work the UN does.
https://www.un.org/en/pdfs/un_system_chart.pdf

Don’t ever stop. Keep going. If you want a taste of freedom, keep going. – Harriet Tubman
Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay
2 The United Nations

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

3 The UDHR
One major achievement of the United Nations was the writing of a document called the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. A special committee of the UN, led by Eleanor Roosevelt, took 2 years to
write a list of human rights. This list became compiled as articles in the UDHR and was recognised by the
majority of countries in the UN in 1948. Although heavily influenced by Western Values, they are a
starting point for many countries adopting laws regarding the rights of their citizens.

What’s the Big Idea?

• UN created after WW2

• Main role is to keep peace and
encourage cooperation
• Permanent Security members
have veto power

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

3 The UDHR

Make a table
There are 30 articles in the UDHR. Some are rights to do with economics, some are political, some
are about personal beliefs and culture, and some are about the law.
Create a table like the one below, and see if you can work out which column the 30 rights in the
UDHR might come under (some may come under more than one heading).

Political Culture and Legal Economic Freedom

Personal beliefs
Right to vote You have the No one should
right to social be a slave
security

Understanding Research and Extension

1. Define the words in bold. 1. What are “Western Values”?
2. What is the UDHR? 2. Why do you think western values
3. Who led the committee that led to the dominated the writing of the UDHR?
creation of the UDHR ? 3. Visit the two links below.
4. When were these rights adopted by the 4. What information is given by each video?
General Assembly of the UN? 5. How are the videos different in the way
they present the information?
6. Which gives you a better understanding of
the UDHR? Give reasons for your answer.
What’s the Big Idea?

• UDHR created by the UN after WW2

• Eleanor Roosevelt helped make the list of Reflection
Rights 1. Choose 3 of the Human Rights from the
UDHR that you think are the most important
to you. Give reasons.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5RR4VXNX3jA&feature=emb_logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDgIVseTkuE

Freedom means the supremacy of human rights everywhere. – Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Eleanor’s husband)

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

3 The UDHR

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

3 The UDHR

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

4 Australia and the United Nations
Australia has been heavily involved with the United Nations since its creation in 1945. Australia was a
founding member of the UN, its third President was an Australian called H.V.Evatt, and Australia helped
to write the Charter of the UN. The very first United
Nations Peacekeepers were Australian military Source 1
observers sent to Indonesia in 1947 (see Source 1) .

Since 1947 Australians have been involved in over 50

peacekeeping operations around the world. Most
notably Australia has been involved in UN operations in
our closest neighbour East Timor. In East Timor,
Australia’s UN missions have maintained security during
a referendum for independence, and afterwards
organised aid and building projects (see Source 2).

Source 2
Security Council Resolution 1246 Other places where Australia has been involved as
United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor part of UN missions include Korea, Somalia,
(UNMISET); Cambodia, Kashmir, and Rwanda. Altogether 7
Australians have led UN peacekeeping missions and
UNMISET shall consist of the following elements:
(a) To provide assistance to core administrative 9 Australians have died.
structures critical to the viability and political stability of
However, Australia has not always had a smooth
East Timor;
(b) To provide interim law enforcement and public relationship with the UN. At times politicians in
security and to assist in the development of a new law Australia have been critical of the organisation, and
enforcement agency in East Timor, the East Timor at other time the UN has been critical of Australia
Police Service (ETPS);
for what it says are Human Rights violations.
(c) To contribute to the maintenance of the external
and internal security of East Timor. In 2017 Australia held a same-sex marriage. A UN
UNMISET will consist of: committee member criticised Australia by saying
(a) A civilian component comprising an office of the “Human rights are not to be determined by opinion
Special Representative of the Secretary-General with poll or a popular vote.” Australia’s Asylum Seeker
focal points for gender and HIV/AIDS, a Civilian policies have been repeatedly condemned for the
Support Group of up to 100 personnel filling core
functions, a Serious Crimes Unit, and a Human Rights use of off-shore detention, detention of children,
Unit; and separation of families. The 2018 UN High
(b) A civilian police component initially comprised of Commissioner for human rights, Michelle Bachelet,
1,250 officers; said Australia’s policies were an “affront to the
(c) A military component with an initial strength of up to
5,000 troops including 120 military observers. protection of human rights,” and only causes
“hostility, misery, suffering and chaos.”

What’s the Big Idea? Source 3

• Australia has been with UN

from the beginning
• Plenty of missions
• Haven’t seen eye to eye
recently

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

4 Australia and the United Nations
Source 4
The Age Newspaper, By Sarah Smiles and Canberra, March 17, 2008
Bob McMullan, parliamentary secretary for international development assistance, who has met many UN officials, said
Australia's ties with the organisation had "deteriorated". "Our relationship with the major multi-lateral organisations has
deteriorated in a manner that is quite contrary to Australia's long-term interests and needs to be repaired," he said.
Former foreign minister Alexander Downer dismissed this as "nonsense". He admitted he did not always see "eye to eye" with
UN agencies, including its refugee agency and former UN high commissioner for human rights Mary Robinson, who attacked
Australia's human rights record.
But he said he was not prepared to listen to "some clown" in an agency with bad advice for Australia. "We didn't put good
relations with a clown ahead of the national interest," he said. He said some agencies of the UN — which has been criticised
for corruption and bureaucratic inefficiency — were "useless". "It's a very mixed bag, there are some things (the UN) can do
well and there are some things it can't do at all," he said. "It's administratively pretty inefficient, with the exception of two
agencies, UNICEF and the World Food Program."

Understanding Sources
1. Define the words in bold. 1. What is Source 1?
2. What was Australia’s early involvement 2. What in Source 1 might let you guess it is
with the UN? (mention 4 things) not a recent photograph?
3. With what kind of operations has 3. What is Source 2?
Australia had more 50 involvements? 4. What is the name of the mission?
4. Where has Australia spent most of its 5. What are the main aims of the mission?
time doing UN work? 6. What are the roles of civilians during the
5. List some other places Australia has done mission?
UN missions. 7. Why was the form in Source 3 criticised
6. Why have relations between the UN and by the UN?
Australia not always been smooth? 8. What is Source 4?
7. Name two issues where the UN have 9. Explain the different perspectives of the
been critical of Australia’s policies. source.
8. What did the 2018 UN High 10. Is there any bias present in the views
Commissioner say about Australia’s stated? Give reasons for your answer
asylum seeker policies? 11. How useful would Source 4 be to an
historian trying to understand Australia’s
relationship with the UN?

Research

In 2013 Australia was given a report card by the UN. What were Australia’s successes and failings
according to the UN?
https://www.unaa.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Australia-and-the-UN-Report-Card-2013.pdf

“We may have different religions, different languages, different coloured skin, but we all belong to one human race.” - Kofi Anan
Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay
4 Australia and the United Nations
Source Analysis
Cartoon published by Australian cartoonist Peter Broelman 10/1/2015

Analyse the Source above for its usefulness in understanding Australia’s relationship with the UN
using the TOMACRU acronym below.

T: Type
What type of source is it? Is it a personal letter, official inscription, cartoon, etc?

O: Origin

Where did the source come from? What is the creator’s perspective, nationality etc?

M: Motive

What reason for making the source did the creators have?

A: Audience

Who is the target audience for the source? Who is it trying to influence or inform?

C: Content

What information does the source provide us?

R: Reliability

Has the source come from someone who has a reason to lie? Can you trust the information is accurate? Is
there bias?

U: Usefulness
How useful is the source for the particular purpose you are investigating?

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

5 Early Indigenous Rights
When Australia became a federation in 1901, and the former British colonies became the new States of
Australia, Indigenous People had different rights depending on where the lived. While some Indigenous
People had been allowed to vote in elections before federation a new law would decide who could vote
in Federal elections. The Commonwealth Franchise Act 1902 (Cth). The Act excluded from enrolling to
vote most 'aboriginal native[s] of Australia, Africa, Asia, or the Islands of the Pacific except New Zealand.
Indigenous suffrage would not be universal until 1962.

The laws regarding who was counted as a citizen were created shortly after federation as well.
Indigenous People were not to be counted in the census.
They would not be counted as citizens until a referendum
Source 1
in 1967.
Alfred Deakin, who became Australia’s
second Prime Minister, speech in Welfare payments were also an area where Indigenous
Parliament, 1901: people were discriminated against. The Invalid and Old-
age Pensions Act 1908 and The Maternity Allowance Act
‘The Commonwealth has power to deal with
people of any and every race within our 1912 both declared ‘Aboriginal natives of Australia’ could
borders except the Aboriginal inhabitants not receive assistance from the government.
…There is that single exception of a dying
race, let us hope that in their last hours they Even during World War One and World War Two
will be able to recognise not simply the Indigenous men were forbidden from enlisting in the
justice but the generosity of the treatment defence forces. Many did, despite this regulation, over
which the white race are according them.’
1000 fighting in WW1 alone.
There were voices that opposed this discrimination and
lack of rights for Indigenous People. One activist, Fred Maynard, founded the Australian Aboriginal
Progressive Association in 1924. This group’s main goal was that Indigenous affairs be managed by
Indigenous people. Other goals included stopping
the removal of Aboriginal children, equal citizenship
for Aboriginal people, protecting Aboriginal cultural Source 3
identity, and land ownership rights.
Fred Maynard speech, 1925
Because the Constitution of Australia had “Brothers and sisters we have much business to
transact so let’s get right down to it … we aim at the
specifically said the Federal Government could make
spiritual, political, industrial and social. We want to
laws for anyone “"other than the aboriginal race in work out our own destiny. Our people have not had the
any state" each State had different restrictions on courage to stand together in the past, but now we are
the rights and freedoms of Indigenous People. This united, and are determined to work for the preservation
also wouldn’t change until the 1967 Referendum. for all of those interests, which are near and dear to
us.”

Source 2
Army rule 1916
“Aboriginals, half-casts, or men with Asiatic blood are not to
be enlisted – This applies to all coloured men.”

Army Rule 1917

"Half-castes may be enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force
provided that the examining Medical Officers are satisfied that
one of the parents is of European origin."’

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

5 Early Indigenous Rights
Source 4
Sources
Indigenous Rights by State, 1962
1. Describe the attitude of Alfred Deakin in
NSW VIC QLD SA WA
Source 1
Marry freely Yes Yes No Yes No
Look after children Yes Yes No No No 2. What do the Army rules in Source 2
Move Freely Yes No No No No suggest about attitudes during World
Vote Yes Yes No Yes No War One toward indigenous Australians?
Alcohol No No No No No 3. Why do you think there is a difference
Award Wages Yes No No Yes No
between 1916 and 1917? (Think back to
your study of WW1)
4. Who is the author of Source 3?
Understanding 5. Who is his intended audience?
6. Describe the aims of his movement?
1. Define the words in bold. 7. Compare the Sources 1 and 3 as
2. When did Australia become a federation? evidence of the attitudes towards the
3. What did the Commonwealth Franchise future of Indigenous people.
Act 1902 do to Indigenous suffrage? 8. Using information from Source 4 write a
4. What did the law say about counting PEEL paragraph describing the difference
Indigenous People? between the States in recognising
5. Describe three other ways in which Indigenous Rights in 1962.
Indigenous rights were not the same as
other Australians
6. What did many Indigenous men do
despite it being illegal? Extension and Research
7. Who was Fred Maynard?
1. Visit link 1 below.
8. What were the goals of his group?
2. Explain in your own words what the
9. How did the Constitution of Australia
“Uluru statement from the heart” is.
affect the way laws were made for
3. What are the 3 changes the statement is
indigenous people?
trying achieve?
4. Compare the desires of Fred Maynard
What’s the Big Idea? with the Uluru Statement of the Heart.
How are they different or similar?
• From Federation (1901) on laws were 5. Visit link 2 below.
created to discriminate against indigenous 6. What was the response of the Turnbull
Australians.
Government to the Uluru Statement of
• Activists began calling for equality and
the Heart?
recognition.

1. https://ulurustatement.org/
2. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-10-26/indigenous-advisory-body-proposal-rejected-by-
cabinet/9087856
3.
“Our motto is a united Australia, one that respects the land and the heritage of its Indigenous peoples and provides justice and equity for all.”
– Jackie Huggins, Co-chair National Congress of Australia’s First Peoples
Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay
 Case Study 1 : A.M. Fernando
In the early 20th Century, an Aboriginal man of the Dharug People found himself a long way from home,
unwilling to live in a racist Australia. He travelled through Asia to Europe, and spent time in London,
proresting the treatment of Australia’a Indigenous people. His name was Anthony Martin Fernando
He had left Australia in the early 1900’s and found himself in Austria during World War One. Seen as an
enemy alien, he was interned during the war. After the war he went to Italy and tried unsuccessfully to
meet the Pope to complain about the treatment of his people back home. He was arrested for handing
out pamphlets claiming that Britain was massacring Indigenous Australians and deported to England in
1923.
Source 1 In London during the 1920’s he became a well-
Anthony Martin Fernando by Raj Nagi. known activist outside Australia House, a
diplomatic building representing Australia, and in
London’s Hyde Park. A toymaker by trade, he
covered his clothes in little skeletons, pointing at
them and telling anyone who passed by, “This is
all that Australia has left of my people.”
He was protesting at a time in Australia’s history
where massacres of indigenous people were
common. In 1926, 16 indigenous people were
slaughtered and burnt by police at Forrest River
in Western Australia. In 1928, in Central
Australia, at a place called Coniston, 60 men,
women, and children had been massacred over a
few months.
A.M. Fernando would spend the rest of his life
advocating for recognition of indigenous
suffering and rights. Despite him being a regular
part of London’s street life, there are no known
photographs of the man in the black trench coat,
decorated with toy skeletons. Much of what we

Source 2
Historian Fiona Paisley

know about his life comes from newspaper reports of “If Fernando’s protests were indeed a
direct response to the recent massacres
the time, as well as from his extensive notebook
in Australia, then his skeletons stood not
collection, in which he wrote about his troubles, and
only for acts of murder but for the
some of his own prejudices. enduring nature of Aboriginal history and
memory,”

Source 3
A.M. Fernando notebooks
https://aiatsis.gov.au/exhibitions/m-fernando-notebooks

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

 Case Study 1 : A.M. Fernando
Source 4
Understanding
AM Fernando, the Lone Protestor by Daryl Ciubal
1. Define the words in bold.
2. When did A.M. Fernando live?
3. Who were his people?
4. Describe his travels before 1923.
5. Why was he arrested in Italy?
6. Explain how he became a well-
known figure in London.
7. What are the two examples of
massacres that occurred around
the time he was protesting?
8. What did he spend his life doing?
9. How do we know about his life?

Sources
1. What impression of A.M. Fernando
is given by source 1? The Notebooks
2. Explain how source 2 helps you to
understand source 1. 1. Use the TOMACRU acronym to analyse one of
3. What information is available in the notebooks from source 3.
Source 3? (you need to visit the link)
4. Compare source 1 with source 4
Useful comparison words and phrases might
include:

• Source 1 is similar to Source 4 because

they both illustrate…
• By contrast...
• However...
• Similarly…
• By comparison…

Researching the massacres.

Visit the links below. Explain the significance of these events to the indigenous communities

https://www.commonground.org.au/learn/coniston-massacre

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/mar/08/a-very-tragic-history-how-the-trauma-of-a-1926-
massacre-echoes-through-the-years

“'This is all that Australia has left of my people'. – A.M. Fernando

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

6 Protection Policy
It was a commonly held view by colonial descendants at Federation in 1901, that the Indigenous
Peoples of Australia were going to die out. Over one hundred years of massacres, being killed by
European disease, being dispossessed, and losing culture, had left Australia’s Indigenous people in a
precarious state. Decisions were made by State Governments
Source 1 to take over the lives of Aboriginal People, in order to
“protect” them, until they eventually died out. This was seen
Melbourne columnist, 'Vagabond',
1877 by some as merciful, others, such as Bishop Matthew Gibney,
regarded the policy a cover for genocide.
“The question to ask did not seem to be
whether Aboriginal people were a dying race This period of State Government’s relationship with Indigenous
or not, but what should be the response to this Peoples has become known as the “Protection Era” and the
situation. The convenient and widespread government’s policy known as “Protection Policy”
assumption was that their death was
inevitable.,” Uder this policy various State Governments took control of
virtually every aspect of Indigenous People’s lives. People were
put under the legal guardianship of a government agent
Source 2 known as a Protector.
Australian Parliament Stolen Wages Report 2004-Although laws varied for each State and Territory,here
2007
are a number of completely legal example of control:
Common features of the protectionist regimes • The Government was made legal guardian of
Indigenous children, ignoring parent’s rights
2.4 By 1911 the Northern Territory and every state
except Tasmania had a protection Act, giving the Chief • 1000s of children were forcibly removed from their
Protector or Protection Board extensive power to parents, and became the “Stolen Generations”
control Indigenous people. In some states and in the • People were forced off their tradtional land and
Northern Territory, the Chief Protector was made the
moved to reserves
legal guardian of all Aboriginal children, displacing the
rights of parents • Wages were set at 1/5 the white wage rate
• Wages were routinely stolen by Protectors
2.5 Many protection Acts included powers to direct • Rations were set at 75% the white ration
Indigenous people to live on reserves. The
management of the reserves was delegated to • The right to marry was controlled
government appointed managers or missionaries in • Children were indentured as farm hands or domestic
receipt of government subsidies. Enforcement of the servants
protectionist legislation at the local level was the
• 1000s of young people were placed in forced
responsibility of 'protectors' who were usually police
officers. apprenticeships
• Cultural practices, language, and religion were
2.6 In the name of protection, Indigenous people discouraged or banned
were subject to near-total control. Their entry to, and
• Christianity was forced upon Indigenous communities
exit from, reserves was regulated as was their
everyday life on the reserves, their right to marry and
their employment. With a view to encouraging the What’s the Big Idea?
conversion of the children to Christianity and distancing
them from their Indigenous lifestyle, children were • The was a patronising and racist view that
housed in dormitories and contact with their families Indigenous People couldn’t survive without
was strictly limited.
the white government’s help
• The Protection Policy controlled all aspects of
Indigenous rights through state legislation
•

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

6 Protection Policy
Source 3
Thinking
A nun leading children to march at the
New Norcia Mission(copyright: 1. How do you think the Government
Dumbartung Aboriginal Corporation) justified the Protection Policy at the time?
2. How do you think Indigenous People
would have felt about the restrictions
placed on their lives?
3. Could this policy be made today? Give
reasons for your answer.

Understanding Sources

1. Define the words in bold. 1. Who is the author of Source 1?.

2. What was the commonly held view in 2. Do you think that is the author’s real
1901? name? Why/why not.
3. Why has the Indigenous population been 3. What is the argument being made in
in decline since European arrival? Source 1?
4. What decision was made about 4. Who is the author of Source 2?
Aboriginal People? 5. What information about the protection
5. Was this view agreed with by everyone? policy is being given in Source 2?
6. What was the name of the policy? 6. Why do you think the report in Source 2
7. What did this policy allow State was written?
Government’s to do? 7. Do you think the report is a reliable
8. Make a table to show the ways source? Give reasons for your answer.
Indigenous lives were legally controlled 8. Make a list of things you can see in
Source 3.
Family Life Employment Culture
9. What can we infer (guess from evidence)
about the Protection Era can from Source
3?

Research Visit the link and answer the “Stop and Think : Who decides?” Question at the bottom of the page
https://australianstogether.org.au/discover/australian-history/protection/#protectionref4

“Their own responsibility’s been assumed by Protectors of Aborigines and by government officials and if you become part of that system, it’s
always difficult to break out of it.” — Lowitja O'Donoghue
Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay
6 Protection Policy

Historical Photo Analysis

1. Create a table like the one below, list the people, objects and activities you see.

PEOPLE OBJECTS TEXT

Answer the following as best you can. There is extra information in the caption
2. Who took this photo?
3. Where is it from?
4. When is it from?
5. What was happening at the time in history this photo was taken?
6. Why was it taken?
7. What did you find out from this document that you might not learn anywhere else?

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

7 The 1938 Day of Mourning
In 1938, just 37 years after Australia became a Federation, an important day was about to be marked. It
had been 150 years since the first British colonists had settled in Australia. A 150 year anniversary of a
moment that had brought the British Empire, and Indigenous Australians together. The peoples of
Australia would come to mark this moment very differently.
For the colonial descendants this would be a
Source 1
celebration of all that Australia had become. A
1938 Re-enactment of Arthur Phillip’s landing prosperous, democratic nation, that in many
ways was trhe envy of the world. Far away from
the old European politics, a time in which Hitler
was about about to begin World War Two, most
of this nation viewed itself as privileged,
separate, but still proudly of British stock. The
ANZAC Spirit was glowing, despite the financial
troubles of the Great Depression. And a “White
Australia” was set to celebrate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8RPo4gL3bM
Source 2
But for Indigenous Australians, this
sesquicentenary of the arrival of the first fleet was
not a moment to be celebrated. This moment
would mark the devastation of Indigenous people’
culture, and rights. For 150 years they had
suffered. Suffered dispossesion, suffered
massacres, and had suffered the indignity of not
being counted as people in their own land.

The Protection policy had pushed Indigenous

culture to a breaking point. Chiildren had been
stolen
and had their identities stripped. Generation after generation
Source 3 of Indigenous people had suffered under the Governments of
Resolution 1938 this new Australia.
"WE, representing THE ABORIGINES OF This moment, January 1938 would not be a celebration for
AUSTRALIA, assembled in conference at the Indigenous people, it would be a mourning for all that they
Australian Hall, Sydney, on the 26th day of
had lost and suffered. January 26, 1938 would be known as
January, 1938, this being the 150th
Anniversary of the Whiteman's seizure of our The 1938 Day of Mourning.
country, HEREBY MAKE PROTEST against Led by William Cooper, a group of activists met to discuss the
the callous treatment of our people by the
issues facing Indigenous Australians and called for a
whitemen during the past 150 years, AND
WE APPEAL to the Australian nation of today conference on Australia Day 1938. At the conference a
to make new laws for the education and care resolution was prepared protesting against the treatment by
of Aborigines, we ask for a new policy which “whitemen” and calling for citizenship and equality.
will raise our people TO FULL CITIZEN
STATUS and EQUALITY WITHIN THE
COMMUNITY."

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

7 The 1938 Day of Mourning
Afterwards, the Prime Minister, Joseph Lyons, and his wife met with the organisers. It was the first
nationally co-ordinated protest by Indigenous activists, however, despite much publicity, there
would be little achieved in 1938. It would
take decades before Government policy
would change, and recognition of the the Sources
mistreatment of Indigenous Peoples would 1. Why was Source 1 created?
be recognised. 2. Whose perspective is shown in Source 1?
3. What information can you get from
What’s the Big Idea? Source 2?
• 1938 was the 150th anniversary of the First 4. Why would this photo have been taken?
Fleet 5. Who is the author of Source 3?
• British descent Australians celebrated it 6. What opinion is being expressed by
• Indigenous Australians called for a Day of Source 3?
Mourning 7. Which words tell you the author of
Source 3 is dissatisfied with government
policy?
Understanding 8. What changes are the resolution
1. Define the words in bold. appealing for?
2. What was marked on January 26, 1938?
3. What was the attitude of the colonial
descendants?
Thinking and extension
4. What was the attitude of Indigenous
Australians? 1. Why do you think William Cooper and
5. What had the protection policy done to fellow activists thought the resolution
Indigenous Australians? needed to be made?
6. What would January 26, 1938 become 2. How would appeals for changes to
known as? government policy be done today?
7. Who led the Indigenous activists? 3. Research “Uluru Statement from the
8. What happened at the conference they Heart”. Compare the “Statement from
held? the Heart” with the 1938 resolution.
9. What did the Prime Minister do?
10. Were there any immediate changes What are the similarities and differences
because of the Day of Mourning? between the two appeals?

Research
Visit the link below, name the speakers, and describe the various views held by them under the heading
“Surely the time has come”
https://aiatsis.gov.au/exhibitions/day-mourning-26th-january-1938

“Australia Day is a time for mourning, not celebration” - Nakkiah Lui

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

 Case Study 2 : William Cooper
To a great extent, the man behind the 1938 Aboriginal Day of Mourning was William Cooper. His
importance in Australian history cannot be overstated. He was central to a movement for change in
Australia to recognise injustices and fight for rights for Indigenous People. We would take his advocacy
to the highest politicians in Australia, and even attempt to petition the King of England. Not only a
tireless advocate for Indigenous rights, he was also the only private citizen to attempt to make an official
complaint to the German Government about treatment of the Jews during kristallnacht. All this from a
man who was never legally recognised as a citizen of his own country.

Source 1 ‘
A mural of Yorta Yorta man William Cooper in Shepparton, Victoria. (ABC Goulburn Murray: Mahalia
Dobson)

Source 2 Source 3

A 27 year old William Cooper was a signatory Extract from a1938 Australian Aborigines
to this 1887 Maloga Petition to the NSW League letter taken to the German Consulate
Governor in Melbourne by William Cooper

...should be granted sections of land not less than “On behalf of the Aboriginal inhabitants of
100 acres per family in fee simple or else at a small Australia, we wish to have it registered and on
nominal rental annually with the option of purchase record that we protest wholeheartedly at the
at such prices as shall be deemed reasonable for cruel persecution of the Jewish people by the
them under the circumstances, always bearing in Nazi government in Germany.
mind that the Aborigines were the former occupiers We plead that you would make it known to your
of the land. Such a provision would enable them to government and its military leaders that this cruel
earn their own livelihood ...persecution of their persecution of their fellow citizens must be
fellow citizens must be brought to an end.” brought to an end.”

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay

 Case Study 2 : William Cooper
Understanding and source questions
1. Why is William Cooper remembered Source 4
today?
2. What are the issues being raised by
Source 2 and 3?
3. What language is similar in Source 2 and
3.
4. Make a list of what we can learn about
William Cooper from each of the sources
1-4.

Research
1. Using the following link to create a timeline of William Cooper’s life

http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/cooper-william-5773

2. Use the following link to describe Cooper’s protest against the Nazis, and how he has been
remembered for this protest.

https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/article/2018/05/31/william-cooper-koories-protest-against-
nazis

https://youtu.be/D48raR9tZ-s

“Now is our chance to have things altered.” – William Cooper, 1938

Changing Rights and Freedoms Macaulay