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Prior to 1972:

In the 1970's movement, the aboriginal people were inspired by the Black Power.

A lot of people was shocked when the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory decided to have access to Aboriginal territory in April 1971 against Aboriginal people and in favour of a mining business.

The Prime Minister was looking for ways to protect Aboriginal people's interests.

The Prime Minister announced 9 months later on the eve of Australia Day 1972, his government would ask Aboriginal people to apply for new 50-year general purpose leases over such land instead of giving Aboriginal people their own land.

1972:

On 26 January 1972, four Indigenous men set up a beach umbrella on the lawns opposite Parliament House in Canberra

The four men travelled overnight and set up the tent embassy.

they demanded

1. legal and title rights to land being mined
2. preservation of sacred sights
3. compensation

In 1972 on Australia Day eve  the McMahon government announced the idea of a new system that rejected granting independent ownership of traditional land to Indigenous people

they did allow them to have  50-year general purpose leases for Indigenous communities, provided they could demonstrate a social and economic use for the land and excluding any mineral and forest rights.

Post-1972:

Embassy was erected, demolished and re-erected over the next 5 years.

Charles Perkins agreed to temporarily remove the embassy when the government promised to take action on the land rights.

Many people believed that progress on land right was being made by the government.

Gough Whitlam established a bureaucracy to support Aboriginal welfare & land right claims.

1976 - Malcolm Fraser passed Aboriginal Land Rights Act

1992 - Mabo decision was made. It gave Torres Strait islander people sovereignty over their land.

1992 - Tent embassy was re-established on the ground of Old Parliament House.

remind the nation of the ongoing issues relating to reconciliation.

Resources:

Oxford big ideas humanities and social sciences (p347)

https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/aboriginal-tent-embassy

https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/aboriginal-tent-embassy-canberra

https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/aboriginal-tent-embassy

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Context: Why did the Tent Embassy Occur?

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Context: Why did the Tent Embassy Occur?

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Causes:
Causes:

Indigenous Aboriginals did not like how the McMahon Government did not give land to Indigenous people.

He did not want them to own traditional land

Their first protest was for land rights then later on they protested for their own self-determination and sovereignty.

Effect:

It was dismantled and rebuilt multiple times

It gave boost to the Land Rights movement and helped to achieve it

Due to the Tent Embassy the policy for assimilation into white society was abolished

erected to protest against a court decision over mining operations on Aboriginal land

It is now a permanent fixture outside Parliament House in Canberra

Known as the most successful Aboriginal protest

What was an embassy?

the official residence and/or offices of an ambassador

a diplomatic building where ambassadors live or work

a building where an ambassador - a representative of a specific country or cause  - lives and/or works

References -
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/timeline-aboriginal-tent-embassy
https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/aboriginal-tent-embassy-canberra
https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/aboriginal-tent-embassy

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1. Billie Cragie -
He represented Aborigines at international events such as the United Nations Conference on Indigenous Peoples in Geneva.

2. Gary Foley -
Aboriginal  activist, professor, writer and actor.
He was the centre of the Tent Embassy in Canberra.

3. Michael Anderson -
Aboriginal civil rights activist.

Leader of Euahlayi tribe.

Leader of Australian Black Power movement.

Established the Aboriginal Tent Embassy on front lawn of Australian Parliament.

Appointed by peers as first Aboriginal ambassador to white Australians.

Lectured in Aboriginal studies and Aboriginal politics in several Australian universities.

4. Bertie Williams -

One of the three co-founders of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy.

Born: 4 March, 1907.

Died: 1968.

By the end of Australia Day they sat in front of the Parliament under a beach umbrella.

5. Prime Minister:
William McMahon was the Prime Minister and part of the Liberal party, who served  in office from 1971 to 1972.

6. Opposition Leader:
Gough Witlam was the Prime Minister from 1972 to 1975, and was the representative of the Labor Party.

Sources:
- Michael Anderson—Interview with an Aboriginal leader - Creative Spirits, retrieved from https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/media/michael-anderson-interview-with-an-aboriginal-leader

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Significance: Why was the Tent Embassy significant in Indigenous Rights Movement?

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Significance: Why was the Tent Embassy significant in Indigenous Rights Movement?

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Why was it significant during the period?

Inspired by the civil rights activity, Indigenous rights became a popular topic of debate

Land was considered the key to generating jobs and boosting economic growth for Aboriginals.

The Government wouldn't give them land right or royalty to the mining and logging operations.

They planned for Indigenous people to apply for a new 50 year lease of the land, where they had to put the land to good economic/social use.

The tent was a form of peaceful protest in response to claims of aggressive protests and the way the Aboriginals felt that they were aliens.

What has happened since?

protesters were encouraged to protest topics like funding for Aboriginal communities, the political representation of Indigenous Australians, self-determination and Aboriginal sovereignty of Australia.

1976 - The Aboriginal Land Rights Act of 1976 gave people in the NT to claim the title to land if they could provide evidence of their traditional association with it, and as long as the land was not already owned or leased by someone else.

1992 - embassy was re-established on its original site on the lawns outside Old Parliament House.

1992 - Mabo v Queensland (II), The decision overturned the doctrine that Australia was 'terra nullius' - a land belonging to no-one.

The land has been heritage value in 1995

It has been a focal point for future protests

Gough Witlam  died on the 21st of October 2014

William McMahon died on the 31st of March  1988

The sacred fire for Peace and Justice

2012 held a 40th anniversary on January 26

It is an icon for Aboriginal political rights

Isabell Coe who was married to Billy Cragie said the land represents the continued struggle for land rights and to end discrimination

https://www.nma.gov.au/defining-moments/resources/aboriginal-tent-embassy
https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/history/aboriginal-tent-embassy-canberra

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The Australian Government (McMahon Leadership)
1. What party?

Liberal

When were they elected?

1971 to 1972

The McMahon Liberal Government rejected a proposal for Aboriginal land rights.

2. What was their policies on Indigenous Land Rights.

-some of the demands of the Indigenous Australians were:

-Legal and title rights to land currently being mined

-the preservation of all sacred sites

-Compensasion for lands not returnable - $6 Billion dollars down payment plus an annual percentage of gross national income

Was rejected by the Government at the time and police removed the tents and arrest

Indigenous Australians Perspective:

The Australian Aboriginals were devastated when Mcmahon rejected the the proposal for the Land rights.

They felt as though they were still not being treated like humans and had to fight for their rights.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-01-27/the-history-of-the-aboriginal-tent-embassy/3796630