Hard Yarns: The 1967 Referendum

Through our hard yarns, we invite you on a journey to learn, to challenge your previous beliefs, and to consciously ‘unlearn’ the inherent racism we see all too often.
 

Until the 1967 referendum, First Nations Peoples weren’t included in the census and therefore weren’t considered members of the Australian population.

The 1967 Referendum changed the Constitution to allow First Nations Peoples to be included in the census, and giving federal Parliament the power to make laws in relation to First Nations Peoples.

Before this, First Nations Peoples weren’t counted as part of the Australian population, and making laws for First Nations Peoples was the responsibility of the states.

Laws varied greatly from state to state. For example, First Nations Australians could own property in New South Wales and South Australia but not in other states.

This is recent history. There are First Nations Australians today who were born in a country that didn’t think they were worth counting in the Census. This is just one example of the racism that still impacts our First Nations Peoples and communities.

We encourage you to learn more about the 1967 Referendum and its impacts here: The 1967 Referendum | Australians Together