From the 1967 Referendum to the Tent Embassy essays

From the 1967 Referendum to the Tent Embassy essays In 1967, the Australian Government, under PM Harold Holt, held a referendum to decide the faith of the Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders. The question that was put to the citizens of Australia was should Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders be counted in the national census? The referendum of 1967 has raised many issues involving individuals and the government. For the individual, racism was slowly disappearing along with the White Australian Policy. Many European Australians, started to become aware of the level of discrimination, which was aimed at the Aborigines. Their attitude towards the indigenous changed dramatically, as racism became socially unacceptable. This was not only happened in Australia, right around the world, people in many countries were starting to reconcile with their indigenous people, which made Australians think of its own. White men were seen protesting with the blacks and many supported their claims to be counted in the census. As for the government, it was feeling the pressure of international attention. Prior to the 1967 referendum, Australia signed the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, which revamped the indigenous peoples determination to be counted in the national census. The government was criticised for its treatment of its indigenous people. It soon decided the best solution was for its people decide the future of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. On January 26, 1972, after Prime Minister William McMahons stated that his government would not grant land rights, nor compensate the Aboriginal people, Aboriginal protester, with and bold and extreme scheme, came up with the idea of Aboriginal Tent, as an Embassy. Known as the Tent Embassy, it was set up on the front lawns of the Parliament House. The embassy had created a lot of issues that the individuals and the government had to deal with. ...