Rights and Freedom: Australia

There is still much to be done to close the gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the rest of the population in terms of social and economic development, culture, land, education, health, justice and human rights. This book looks at the progress of key rights issues confronting Australia's indigenous peoples, including historical civil rights milestones; land rights and native title; Reconciliation and the apology to the Stolen Generations; indigenous governance and self-determination; and constitutional recognition. Indigenous Rights also examines the government policy aimed at closing the gap in health and life expectancy, and human rights concerns over the ongoing federal intervention in Northern Territory communities. How should this nation right the wrongs visited upon the first Australians?

A comprehensive, relevant, and accessible look at all aspects of Indigenous Australian history and culture What is The Dreaming? How many different Indigenous tribes and languages once existed in Australia? What is the purpose of a corroboree? What effect do the events of the past have on Indigenous peoples today? It explores Indigenous life in Australia before 1770, the impact of white settlement, the ongoing struggle by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to secure their human rights and equal treatment under the law, and much more. Celebrating the contributions of Indigenous people to contemporary Australian culture, the book explores Indigenous art, music, dance, literature, film, sport, and spirituality. It discusses the concept of modern Indigenous identity and examines the ongoing challenges facing Indigenous communities today, from health and housing to employment and education, land rights, and self-determination. Explores significant political moments such as Paul Keating's Redfern Speech and Kevin Rudd's apology. Common stereotypes about Indigenous people and discusses current debates, such as a land rights and inequalities in health and education.

The 1970s was a period of unprecedented political agency and legislative change in Aboriginal people's struggles for the recognition of postcolonial rights. What is significant is that they didn't just seek rights to be granted to them, but for some measure of rights to be restored to them. Against this background, rural communities where large Aboriginal populations lived, were in foment as a consequence of political and economic change, major structural change, social fragmentation and unparalleled unemployment. Politically, neoliberalism became the new orthodoxy recasting the state's role in the economy and redefining government programs and services. In Protest Land Rights and Riots, Barry Morris shows how those policies targeted those least integrated socially and culturally and who enjoyed fewer legitimate economic opportunities. The so-called riots, protests and law-and-order campaigns of the time captured much of the tense relations that existed between Indigenous people, the police and the criminal justice system.

What lessons have been learned from the 1967 referendum? In 1967, Australians voted overwhelmingly in favour of altering two aspects of the Constitution that related to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Although these seemed like small amendments, they provided an impetus for real change - from terra nulliusto land rights, and from assimilation to self-determination. Nearly 50 years later, there is a groundswell of support for our indigenous heritage to be formally recognised in the Constitution. As we await the new referendum, Frank Brennan considers how far we've come, and yet how much work lies ahead. With fresh, detailed research, he examines the work of the Council of Aboriginal Affairs, the pivotal Gove land rights case, and the attitudes of successive governments towards recognising traditional ownership. He also reminds us of the significance of constitutional change, assessing how the coming referendum might lead governments and Indigenous Australians to negotiate better outcomes. Written by one of our most respected commentators on legal and human-rights issues, No Small Changeis a vital contribution to our understanding of Indigenous affairs. It will generate crucial debate on how we should acknowledge our country's history, and how this can make a difference to Indigenous Australians today.