Why did Vincent Lingiari fight for Aboriginal rights?

Over the years he worked his way up to head stockman. The Aboriginal workers at the Wave Hill cattle station were paid significantly lower wages than the white workers. Lingiari organized some 200 Aboriginal workers to strike against the unfair wages and substandard working conditions at the cattle station.

How did Gough Whitlam impact Australia?

Whitlam, prime minister for fewer than three years between 1972 and 1975, pushed through a raft of reforms that radically changed Australia’s economic, legal and cultural landscape. The Whitlam government abolished the death penalty for federal crimes. Legal aid was established, with offices in each state capital.

What two things was the 1967 referendum trying to achieve?

The 1967 Referendum sought to change two sections of the Constitution in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. 90.77 per cent of Australian voters voted ‘Yes’ to the changes.

Who opposed the Wave Hill walk off?

On 23 August 1966, 200 Gurindji stockmen, domestic workers and their families initiated strike action at Wave Hill station in the Northern Territory. Negotiations with the station owners, the international food company Vestey Brothers, broke down, leading to a seven-year dispute.

How long did Vincent Lingiari fight for Aboriginal rights?

Although initially an employee-rights action, it soon became a major federal issue when the Gurindji people demanded the return of their traditional lands. The strike lasted eight years. Over that time, support for Aboriginal land rights grew as the struggle intensified.

What was the purpose of the Wave Hill walk off?

In August 1966, Vincent Lingiari led a group of Aboriginal pastoral workers and their families in a walk-off from Wave Hill Station. The strike protested the poor conditions Aboriginal workers had experienced on the station for more than 40 years.

What did the 1967 referendum mean for human rights?

The 1967 Referendum was the most successful in our history winning 93 percent of votes cast. This empowered the national government to make laws in respect of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that could assist in addressing inequalities.