Stolen Generation and Mabo Decision: Impact on Indigenous Australians

This report evaluates the impact of Stolen Generation and Mabo Decision on Indigenous Australians. It analyses the goals, positions, and relationships of Indigenous Australians with Australian society. It also discusses the similarities and differences between the two events and how knowledge about these events is reproduced. The report concludes with a personal reflection on these events.

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Social Science

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Table of Contents
Introduction...............................................................................................................................2
Stolen Generation......................................................................................................................3
Mabo Decision............................................................................................................................4
Similarities and differences between the events.......................................................................5
How knowledge has reproduced...............................................................................................5
Personal Reflection....................................................................................................................6
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................7
References..................................................................................................................................8

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Introduction
There are many major historical events for Aboriginal people and communities in
Australia that affected their position in the country. Some of these events or policies have
negative goals whereas others have taken positive steps to make sure health, wellbeing and
rights of Indigenous people are promoted (Gee, Dudgeon, Schultz, Hart & Kelly, 2014). In
this report, two major events from the Australian history timeline are selected to evaluate
their impact on Aboriginal people. The first event is the ‘stolen generation’ which is a pre-
1967 event that is a major part of the Australia history timeline. The second event which is
selected is post-1967 that is the ‘Mabo case’. The goals of each of these events will be
analysed, and how Indigenous Australian are positioned and their relationship with
Australian society will be discussed. This report will evaluate similarities and differences
between the two events and how knowledge about these events is reproduced will be
analysed. Lastly, a personal reflection will be given on these events based on my
understanding.

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Stolen Generation
This event took place between approximately 1905 and 1967 in which children of
Indigenous people were removed from their families by the Federal and State government
agencies. In this event, many church missions were involved as well that removed “half-
caste” children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (Terszak, 2015). As per the
official estimations of the government, one in ten and in certain regions one in three
indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families.
 Goals
The goal of this event was that the government, church and other white authorities
believed that the indigenous people could not have adequate resources to look after their
children in a proper manner, so they took them from their families. During this period, the
authorities completely ignored the indigenous culture and their feelings, and they believe
that they are doing the right thing by removing children from the only family they knew
(Hamilton, 2017). After removing them from their families, the government sold these
children to white families without considering how they will treat them.
 Positions
In this event, indigenous people did not have a role in decision-making, and the
government assumed that separating children from their parents is the best way for their
growth. The views or opinions of indigenous people were not represented, and no
discussion was made with them before taking this horrible decision (Cuthbert & Quartly,
2013).
 Relationship
A negative relationship between indigenous people and wider Australian society is
highlighted in this event because authorities violated social and cultural norms to achieve
their goals. Aboriginal people were considered ‘different’, and it was assumed that they
could not feed their children or take care of them (Terszak, 2015).

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Mabo Decision
The landmark judgement given by the High Court of Australia in Mabo v Queensland (No
2) case is also referred as ‘Mabo decision’ which is a major event in Australian history post-
1967 that focused on recognising land rights of indigenous people. This judgement was
given on 3 June 1992 in which the court provided that Australia was no terra nullius or ‘land
belongs to no one’ (Poirier & Schartmueller, 2012). It was decided that indigenous people
have a prior occupation and strong connection with the land and their rights should be
recognised. After this decision, the Native Title Act 1993 was passed by the Australian
Parliament.
 Goal
The aim of the Mabo decision was to recognise the land rights of indigenous people by
eliminating terra nullius to recognise and protect their native title. Provisions were given
under the Native Title Act through which Aboriginal people were able to claim back their
land from the government (Tan & Jackson, 2013). A land acquisition fund was also
established for those indigenous people who did not have the resources to claim their
native title.
 Position
Aboriginal people were a part of the decision-making, and their views were represented
by Eddie ‘Koiki’ Mabo who led the fight in the court to made changes in land laws in order to
establish their traditional ownership and connection with the land in Australia (Tan &
Jackson, 2013).
 Relationship
In this event, the social and cultural norms were followed, and the native title of
indigenous people was recognised to establish that they have a right on the Australian lands
that were taken from them. Indigenous people were not considered as ‘different’, and their
traditional ownership and rights were recognised after this event (Martin, 2015).

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Similarities and differences between the events
There are many differences between the goals, position and relationship between
the event of stolen generation and Mabo decision. The goal in the stolen generation was to
separate indigenous children from their parents who were not able to feed them and
providing them adequate facilities (Zuckermann, Shakuto-Neoh & Quer, 2014). In Mabo
decision, the rights of indigenous people on Australian land and their native title was
recognised to make sure that they are able to take back their traditional lands. The
positioning of indigenous people in the stolen generation was bad because they were not
involved in the decision-making and actions were taken against their will. However, in Mabo
decision, they were involved in the decision-making, and their views were considered while
making the decisions (Watson, 2014).
The relationship between indigenous people and Australian society was negative in
the stolen generation because their rights were exploited; however, the relationship was
positive in Mabo decision because indigenous people receive native title and ability to apply
for their traditional ownership on their lands (Collis & Webb, 2014). There are no major
similarities between these two events despite the fact that they involved actions taken by
the government for the interest of indigenous people. In the first event, their interest was
breached rather than fulfil, and in the second event, their rights were recognised. The
difference between these two major events show the change in social and cultural values
that benefits indigenous people; however, these changes are not enough because still there
is a major gap between indigenous and non-indigenous people in terms of growth
opportunities, healthcare and overall wellbeing (Martin, 2015).
How knowledge has reproduced
The knowledge which is reproduced regarding Australian history involving
indigenous people did not focus on recognising the rights of indigenous people by giving
them appropriate respect. The knowledge regarding their culture and norms is vastly
undermined by the Australian society that did not support their contemporary
understanding. The government has not taken any initiatives that are targeted towards
promoting awareness regarding the stolen generation or educating others regarding their
struggles (Balint, Evans & McMilan, 2014). However, the government has implemented

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various policies that are targeted towards recognising the cultural norms of indigenous
people and joining the stolen children with their families. It is important that education
books in schools should include details regarding these major historical events about
indigenous people so that awareness regarding their culture spread throughout Australia
(Gee, Dudgeon, Schultz, Hart & Kelly, 2014). The government should implement policies that
are targeted at providing equal opportunities to indigenous people by removing obstacles
for their growth.
Personal Reflection
I believed that the stolen generation shows a dark part of Australian history which
shows the suffering of indigenous people in Australia and the injustice which they faced in
their own lands. Due to the lack of effective policies that were taken to support the
wellbeing of indigenous people and the protection of their culture, they have suffered
substantial disadvantage in Australia, and they have also lost their cultural values. Although
new laws are implemented in the Native Title Act; however, still, it is difficult for indigenous
people to claim their right on Australian lands. They find it difficult to spread awareness
regarding their cultural values or learn about their families since they were stolen from
them. These actions show that there is still a major gap which is necessary to be fulfilled to
make sure that indigenous people are treated equally in Australian society and they are able
to get equal treatment. Still, the social and cultural influences did not provide adequate
information regarding the struggles of indigenous people and the challenges faced by them.
The government should implement effective policies to reduce the gap between indigenous
and non-indigenous people to make sure that they receive equal opportunities in the
country.

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Conclusion
Based on the above observations, it can be concluded that Australian history
contains detail regarding events in which the rights of indigenous people were affected. The
stolen generation is a good example indigenous children were taken away from their
parents. In Mabo decision, the land rights of indigenous people were recognised along with
their native title. Both of these events show the opposite impact on indigenous people in
Australia. The indigenous people were not involved in the decision-making of the stolen
generation; however, their views were considered in Mabo decision. There is still major gap
between indigenous and non-indigenous people in Australia which is necessary to be
fulfilled to make sure that they receive equal opportunities in the country.

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References
Balint, J., Evans, J., & McMillan, N. (2014). Rethinking transitional justice, redressing
indigenous harm: A new conceptual approach. International Journal of Transitional
Justice, 8(2), 194-216.
Collis, P., & Webb, J. (2014). The visible and the invisible: legacies of violence in
contemporary Australian Aboriginal contexts. Journal of Australian Studies, 38(4),
490-503.
Cuthbert, D., & Quartly, M. (2013). Forced child removal and the politics of national
apologies in Australia. American Indian Quarterly, 37(1-2), 178-202.
Gee, G., Dudgeon, P., Schultz, C., Hart, A., & Kelly, K. (2014). Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander social and emotional wellbeing. Working together: Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles and practice, 2, 55-68.
Hamilton, P. (2017). Sale of the century?: memory and historical consciousness in Australia.
In Memory, History, Nation (pp. 136-152). Abingdon: Routledge.
Martin, D. F. (2015). Does native title merely provide an entitlement to be native? Indigenes,
identities, and applied anthropological practice. The Australian Journal of
Anthropology, 26(1), 112-127.
Poirier, R., & Schartmueller, D. (2012). Indigenous water rights in Australia. The Social
Science Journal, 49(3), 317-324.
Tan, P., & Jackson, S. (2013). Impossible Dreaming–does Australia’s water law and policy
fulfil indigenous aspirations. Environment and Planning Law Journal, 30(2), 132-149.
Terszak, M. (2015). Orphaned by the colour of my skin: A stolen generation story. Abingdon:
Routledge.
Watson, I. (2014). Aboriginal peoples, colonialism and international law: Raw law. Abingdon:
Routledge.

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Zuckermann, G. A., Shakuto-Neoh, S., & Quer, G. M. (2014). Native Tongue Title:
compensation for the loss of Aboriginal languages. Australian Aboriginal Studies, (1),
55.