The 1967 Referendum Four Decades Later

Australia's 1967 referendum gave the Commonwealth power to make laws specifically to benefit Aboriginal people and amended the law which prevented Aboriginal Australians being counted as Australians in any census. The referendum was carried in all states with a vote of 90.77 per cent in favour. To commemorate the fortieth anniversary of this historic vote, Jackie Huggins addressed The Sydney Institute on Tuesday 22 May 2007. The author discusses the people involved and the event leading up to the decision to hold the referendum. Reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people in Australia since 1967 including events like the Bridge Walk in Sydney in 2000 are explored.