Politics in the 60s
Aboriginal Rights (Freedom Rights, Assimilation Act, Right to Vote)
Reconciliation is unity and respect between two parties and in this case, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians. It is about respecting the culture of the Indigenous and valuing justice and equality for everyone. The reconciliation movement began around the 1960s.
The Freedom Ride
The freedom ride of 1965 was a campaign that sought to focus the nations eyes on the appalling conditions where Aboriginals lived. A group of Sydney university students organised a bus that would tour western and coastal NSW towns. The students planned to draw attention to the state of Indigenous health, education and housing. They also sought to show the discriminatory barriers which existed between Aboriginal people and white Australians.
The students began the planning in a group called Student Action for Aborigines (SAFA) to ensure media coverage. The freedom ride visited Walgett, Gulargambone, Kempsey, Bowraville and Moree. The students on the trip were shocked at the poor conditions. Aboriginals were treated with huge amounts of inequality and were banned from shops, bars, pools and many other public areas. In each town, the students would focus on one aspect of inequality and broadcast it nationally to gain support. They especially ridiculed the leaders that were supporting the inequality in these small towns.
The freedom ride highlighted the aspects and acted as evidence which would support the acts to abolish discrimination in the near future.
Robert Menzies
In 1962, Prime Minister Robert Menzies developed the Commonwealth Electoral Act, giving Indigenous Australians the right to enroll and vote at federal elections.
Referendum
The 1967 referendum facilitated a vote where 90 per cent of Australians wanted to remove laws in the constitution which discriminated against Indigenous Australians. As a result of this, Aboriginal people were counted in the census, they were given citizenship status and had voting rights.
Protests
There were many protests that were attempting to restore Aboriginal rights such as the 1967 referendum, the National Land Rights campaign in Melbourne, the Equal Wages Campaign and the Social Welfare Regime
Reconciliation is unity and respect between two parties and in this case, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and non-Indigenous Australians. It is about respecting the culture of the Indigenous and valuing justice and equality for everyone. The reconciliation movement began around the 1960s.
The Freedom Ride
The freedom ride of 1965 was a campaign that sought to focus the nations eyes on the appalling conditions where Aboriginals lived. A group of Sydney university students organised a bus that would tour western and coastal NSW towns. The students planned to draw attention to the state of Indigenous health, education and housing. They also sought to show the discriminatory barriers which existed between Aboriginal people and white Australians.
The students began the planning in a group called Student Action for Aborigines (SAFA) to ensure media coverage. The freedom ride visited Walgett, Gulargambone, Kempsey, Bowraville and Moree. The students on the trip were shocked at the poor conditions. Aboriginals were treated with huge amounts of inequality and were banned from shops, bars, pools and many other public areas. In each town, the students would focus on one aspect of inequality and broadcast it nationally to gain support. They especially ridiculed the leaders that were supporting the inequality in these small towns.
The freedom ride highlighted the aspects and acted as evidence which would support the acts to abolish discrimination in the near future.
Robert Menzies
In 1962, Prime Minister Robert Menzies developed the Commonwealth Electoral Act, giving Indigenous Australians the right to enroll and vote at federal elections.
Referendum
The 1967 referendum facilitated a vote where 90 per cent of Australians wanted to remove laws in the constitution which discriminated against Indigenous Australians. As a result of this, Aboriginal people were counted in the census, they were given citizenship status and had voting rights.
Protests
There were many protests that were attempting to restore Aboriginal rights such as the 1967 referendum, the National Land Rights campaign in Melbourne, the Equal Wages Campaign and the Social Welfare Regime
Conscription Issue
In 1964, Robert Menzies announced the return of compulsory military service for young men aged 18-25 years old. Initially, there were no major complaints or public aggression towards the governments decisions. As the war continued, the footage and images that were being returned back to the nation overthrew the propaganda that they were being brainwashed with and opened their eyes to the things that were happening in Vietnam. The conscription act eventually sparked huge uproar from the general population as well as generating debates on the morality of the conscription act.
The Labor party at the time was in support of the Australian involvement however were not in support of conscription. Large organisations such as “Save Our Sons” (SOS) were created and many young university groups created public protests, gaining major support from the entire nation.
Women’s Rights
Equal Pay
In the 60’s equal pay was also a highly important issue that gained importance during this stage in Australian history. More women entered the workforce due to the baby boom phase post-war and the “Women’s Liberation Movement” raised awareness about gender inequality. The current pay rate for women at this stage was 25% lower than that of male employees. Over the next 5 years the gap came down by 19% however even today, Australian women earn at least 15% less than males in the work force. The higher rate of pay for males also meant that women were commonly obliged to stay at home and clean the house, make the food and any other domestic duties that women are required to complete during the stage where the male is working.
In 1964, Robert Menzies announced the return of compulsory military service for young men aged 18-25 years old. Initially, there were no major complaints or public aggression towards the governments decisions. As the war continued, the footage and images that were being returned back to the nation overthrew the propaganda that they were being brainwashed with and opened their eyes to the things that were happening in Vietnam. The conscription act eventually sparked huge uproar from the general population as well as generating debates on the morality of the conscription act.
The Labor party at the time was in support of the Australian involvement however were not in support of conscription. Large organisations such as “Save Our Sons” (SOS) were created and many young university groups created public protests, gaining major support from the entire nation.
Women’s Rights
Equal Pay
In the 60’s equal pay was also a highly important issue that gained importance during this stage in Australian history. More women entered the workforce due to the baby boom phase post-war and the “Women’s Liberation Movement” raised awareness about gender inequality. The current pay rate for women at this stage was 25% lower than that of male employees. Over the next 5 years the gap came down by 19% however even today, Australian women earn at least 15% less than males in the work force. The higher rate of pay for males also meant that women were commonly obliged to stay at home and clean the house, make the food and any other domestic duties that women are required to complete during the stage where the male is working.