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CONNECT: In the 1967 National census for Australia, an area of Aboriginals were not counted in the census. This shows that Australia didn’t believe that the Aboriginals deserved any rights and freedom within Australia. Therefore a referendum was formed for people to vote for what rights they think the Indigenous people should have. In Source 3 in the textbook, the source displays the rights that Indigenous people had in each state in Australia, majority presenting that they did not have the rights.

EXTENSION: In 1967 before the referendum the Indigenous people weren’t counted at all in the census meaning they practically didn’t even exist in the mind of the Australian Constitution. Chicka Dixon, an Indigenous activist had stated to the public

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I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of support towards indigenous rights regarding their inclusion in the census but this new information raises a question. If the referendum aiming to include Aboriginals in the census received an almost unanimous positive response (90.7%), why hadn't anything been done by Australian citizens to include indigenous members in the census in first place? And why are they still discriminated against despite this overwhelming support?

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Indigenous activist, Chicka Dixon provided a perspective on the referendum. Her viewpoint and understanding of the issue of Aboriginals not being included in the census sparked the idea that Indigenous people who had lived in Australia for generations were not considered as Australian citizens. In fact according to the Bureau of Statistics they were non-existent. This idea had not occurred to me previously but now affect my thoughts and emotions on the 1967 referendum deeply. I was unaware of the overwhelming support of the idea of Indigenous Australians being counted in the census. This new information is very reassuring and provides for me a little more faith in humanity

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CONNECT: In the 1967 National census for Australia, an area of Aboriginals were not counted in the census. This shows that Australia didn’t believe that the Aboriginals deserved any rights and freedom within Australia. Therefore a referendum was formed for people to vote for what rights they think the Indigenous people should have. In Source 3 in the textbook, the source displays the rights that Indigenous people had in each state in Australia, majority presenting that they did not have the rights.

EXTENSION: In 1967 before the referendum the Indigenous people weren’t counted at all in the census meaning they practically didn’t even exist in the mind of the Australian Constitution. Chicka Dixon, an Indigenous activist

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The referendum held in 1967 was the most significant step in gaining the rights and freedoms undeniably deserved by Indigenous Australians.   Being granted the ability to be counted in the census and become recognised as citizens of Australia is a basic human rights. The referendum that was held decided on whether these rights should be granted to Aboriginal citizens. The overwhelming support of the proposal displays the shared attitudes of Australians regarding the rights and freedoms of the Indigenous.

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What would have happened if the votes were  in favour of the no vote? What would have happened if the government didn't keep with its word of the Aboriginals being part of the census? This information has challenged my thinking as if I if this referendum didn't happen Australia would be very different from as it is today.  The challenge that it might have created was that some people who said no will still discriminate towards the Aboriginals with more aggression as they now are viewed as part of the population of Australia.  This can be seen in the quote "In reckoning the numbers of the people of the Commonwealth, or of a State or other part of the Commonwealth, aboriginal natives shall not be counted. —Constitution, section 127, pre-1967. Some people may still have that mind set that Aboriginals are not part of the community and the Commonwealth. Another challenge could be is that it would be difficult to transition into this new aspect of being part of the census.

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After reading about the 1967 Referendum, I have now developed a clear understanding of the persistence and determination that the Indigenous Aboriginals endured in order to receive the equal rights and treatment that Australian citizens were granted with, even if that meant being accounted for in the census and being known as an Australian citizen. There were greater efforts to obtain a complete coverage of the Indigenous population, including remote areas. "Between 1966 and 1971 the count increased by 44.6% and between 1971 and 1976 it increased by 38.8%." It is evident that the purpose of the referendum was to make two changes to the Australian Constitution: make laws for all of the Australian people regardless of their race, and to take account of Aboriginal people in determining the population of Australia.
Challenge:
I believe that proposing a Referendum forward to the Australian society during this discriminatory period in time could have led to Australian citizens voting 'No' on their ballot paper and would have resulted in a completely different outcome, effecting the rest of society in the present time. If it wasn't for Charles Perkins raising awareness about the treatment of Aboriginal individuals to country towns around NSW and  if it wasn't for Jack Patten and William Ferguson leading the Day of Mourning silent protest, then Autralian citizens would still be unaware of the harsh treatment towards Indigenous Aboriginal citizens today.

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The 1967 Referendum proposed to include Aboriginal people in the census, which in turn would allow the Commonwealth government to make laws for Aboriginal people. The referendum did not however give the indigenous Australians the right to vote (a law in which was passed in1962, 5 short years later). Influenced by colonial views of the 18th century the founding fathers of the Constitution incorporated sections which later ignited discussions which led to the 1967 Referendum. These were sections 51 and 127. The referendum that changed the Constitution was held in 1967, but this was just the culmination of events which started more than a decade earlier. After reading about the 1967 referendum I now have a clear understanding of the events that occurred and the 10 year lead up until the law was finally passed.

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Questions include;
1. Were there any particular events that could have been the major contributing factors in the referendum 'YES' vote? Did this include the Freedom Ride?

2. What brought a change to the government, who were previously very much against the continuation of the Indigenous race?

3. Why did Queensland join the decision to allow Aboriginal people to vote so many years late than other Australian states?

This information provides the opportunity to recognize the recent views of Australian society, and whether these have changed slightly or dramatically in the past 40-50 years. It allows for people to research and deepen their understanding on the segregation experienced by the founders of our national land.

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The new ideas that have emerged from reading about the referendum is that before this period Aboriginals weren't counter as Australians or even as part of the population from the lack of taking part of the census. Chicka Dixon an Aboriginal activist who was one of the people who fought for having Aboriginals to take part in the census. He was active in the census campaign which helped it achieve the yes vote. This takes my thinking further as this was the first time the Aboriginals campaign for fair treatment was starting to work as seen when they were now able to be part of the census like the rest of Australia. This shows how this was the start of a less racist Australia.

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Indigenous activist, Chicka Dixon, brought attention to the fact that Aboriginal people were thought of as nonexistent. This was due to the Australian Commonwealth Government, and a referendum was required to change the Constitution. Through the study of the referendum, astonishing data can be recorded because of the 90.7% 'YES' vote of the referendum. This suggests the acceptance of the Australian public of the Aboriginal peoples, which differed quite significantly to previous beliefs. The assimilation policy was aimed at breeding out the Aboriginal and 'half-cast' race, whereas people were now recognizing the significance of the Aboriginal culture.

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I was unaware of the struggle and persistence of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait people in order to get the Referendum held. FCAA/FCAATSI (Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders) kept the constitutional amendment issue politically alive.

"On December 1st, 1965 a group of 36 Aboriginal people went to Canberra to protest about clause 26 of section 51. Outside Parliament House they showed placards while they lobbied Members of Parliament inside, including Mr Wentworth.

Among the protesters were famous names like Faith Bandler (FCAATSI NSW State Secretary), former Australian Rules footballer and boxer Charles Perkins and Brisbane poet Kath Walker (later known as Oodgeroo Noonuccal)." This shows how many significant people and groups took actions such as protests and several petitions in order for the Referendum of the two proposals to be held.

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The 1967 referendum made history: Australians voted overwhelmingly to amend the constitution to include Aboriginal people in the census and allow the Commonwealth to create laws for them.

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If the Referendum received such an overwhelming 'yes' vote by the white Australian population, why didn't Government allow the Referendum to be held earlier if the white population supported the protest for Aboriginal rights?
I think this referendum allowed white Australians to no longer be ashamed of their support of Aboriginal civil rights and contribute to political change anonymously. This event would have taken lots of courage for Aborigines to make a proposal to the Australian people as they feared rejection and being hurt even more. This event also shows the stubbornness of the Australian Government at the time and how they were so determined to allow Aborigines to disappear forever.

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Aboriginals being able to be counted in the census was a major change in Australia but the fact in the referendum more than 90% voted for the change was extremely important as it showed a change in view which Australians had. The fact that aboriginals were now considered real humans by the Australian government
was extremely important as now healthcare, schooling and housing could accommodate for aboriginals.

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The connections that can be made between the Referendum and the rights and freedoms is that those directly affected by the racism and discrimination were noticing how poorly those around them were treated. This in turn caused those, who had a right to vote, for Aboriginals to be not only treated like the other people who lived in Australia, but for them to be granted the same rights and freedoms. After the vote for the referendum, which went successfully, the Aboriginals were from then on included in the census.

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Through the referendum this enabled the Aboriginals to have the similar rights to White Australians. This provided the Aboriginals to have the right to be treated fairly and the same as other members of the community in taking part in the census. An example of this is when 90.7% of Australians voted to be part of the population and not disregarded as human beings. From now being part of the census the Aboriginal community was beginning to have similar rights and freedoms as White Australians.

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The Referendum showed how the Australian attitudes altered significantly as they began to stop denying indigenous people of their rights and freedoms. This is evident as 90% of the population voted 'yes' to Aboriginals being counted in the census which shows how the white Australians began to consider Aboriginals as REAL people. This Referendum was extremely significant as not only was the outcome a yes vote, which is very uncommon, it was a 90%. It showed how they were one step closer to gaining citizenship and achieving better rights for Aborigines which was what they were protesting for on Day of Mourning.  It meant they would start providing community services for them too such as healthcare, schooling and housing and making laws for Indigenous people.

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The Referendum provided an opportunity for Aboriginals to be regarded as equals. It identified a closing gap between the inequalities of the races. The situation provided Aboriginal's freedom of choice, as they had previously had no input in the decision making of national leaders. Aboriginal people were now able to be counted in the census, to be counted as a human being. An interesting statistic recorded displayed the differing Australian states and rights Aboriginal people received. Whilst NSW accepted all but Aboriginal people being permitted alcohol, QLD denied all rights. This could suggest the way in which the states were divided, and hence different rules governed Aboriginal rights.

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The connection I can make is that the referendum links to the terms rights and freedoms , in regard to the 1967 Referendum 90.7% of the Australian white community voted yes to have the Aboriginals to be involved in the census which was a turning point for Australia as they are finally accepting the righteous owners of Australian land.
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The new ideas that have I emerged from reading the 1967 Referendum, before the referendum the Aboriginals were not even counted in the census meaning they were most likely not considered when the government was making plans to provide community services to the public of Australia even though they did recognize all other races just not Indigenous Australians. Chicka Dixon and the Freedom riders help to push to hold a referendum to change the ways for Indigenous Australians this had expanded my thinking as if it was not for the Freedom riders, Chicka Dixon and Charles Perkins the referendum wouldn't have happened, leaving the Indigenous Australians without any rights and freedoms until another activist pushed to make a change.
challenge
How long more would the Indigenous Australians would have to wait if the majority of Australia voted no?
How many more years would it be until the discrimination of the Indigenous people be hidden within the rural towns if the Freedom riders did not pursue with their protest?
This challenged my thinking because Australia would be a very different country it is today even though it took a good few years for Australians to say sorry to the Indigenous if the referendum had not happened for another few years after it did many indigenous people today would most likely be waiting to receive their sorry speech from the Australian government.

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It can be seen that there was a strong connection between the rights and freedoms that Aboriginals received when the 1967 Referendum occurred. This can be seen as although Indigenous Aboriginals were beginning to be treated equally by other Australian members, there was one area where they were secluded from every other Australian citizen - the census. They were not accounted for when the Australian census came about which is how the referendum came about. Aboriginal citizens proposed the referendum in order for them to be treated and accounted for, just like every other Australian citizen. They did this by the voters receiving booklets spelling out 'Yes' or 'No' with an enormous amount of Australian citizens (90.7%) voting 'Yes' to Aboriginals being counted census and under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth. Overall, it is evident that amend the constitution to include Aboriginal people in the census and allow the Commonwealth to create laws for them.

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(What questions are emerging for you about this aspect of indigenous history?) How is this information challenging your thinking? or What challenges do you think this event created for indigenous and non-indigenous people? Include examples/evidence to support your thinking.

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(What new ideas have emerged for you from reading about the 1967 Referendum?) Include the names or individuals/groups and the actions taken. How do these new ideas take your thinking further? Remember to include examples/evidence to support your thinking.

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(What connections can you make to the Referendum that link with the terms rights and freedoms?) Provide evidence/examples to support your ideas.