Colonisation (1788 onwards): Aboriginal peoples were dispossessed of their lands without treaty or compensation under the doctrine of terra nullius (“land belonging to no one”).
They were subjected to mass killings, forced removals, and segregation policies, leading to cultural and population loss.
The Stolen Generations (late 1800s–1970s) saw thousands of Aboriginal children forcibly removed from their families to assimilate them into white society.
2. Structural Marginalisation
Aboriginal peoples remain overrepresented in negative socio-economic indicators:
Health: Lower life expectancy (about 8 years less than non-Indigenous Australians), higher rates of chronic illness, suicide, and infant mortality (AIHW, 2022).
Education: Lower school completion rates and barriers to higher education due to systemic inequities.
Employment: Unemployment and underemployment are significantly higher.
Justice System: Aboriginal Australians make up about 3.8% of the population but over 30% of the prison population (ABS, 2021).
This systemic disadvantage reflects institutional racism and the ongoing impact of colonisation.
3. Experiences of Racism
Everyday Racism: Verbal abuse, stereotyping, and discrimination in shops, workplaces, and schools are widely reported.
Structural Racism: Policies and laws often disadvantage Aboriginal communities, such as over-policing and discriminatory welfare measures (e.g., the Northern Territory Emergency Response, 2007).
Media Representation: Aboriginal peoples are often misrepresented, with deficit-based narratives that reinforce stereotypes.
Research shows that racism directly contributes to poor mental health outcomes among Aboriginal peoples (Paradies, 2016).
4. Contemporary Challenges
Despite the Closing the Gap strategy (2008–present), significant disparities remain.
The rejection of the 2023 Voice Referendum reflected ongoing divisions about Indigenous recognition and power-sharing.
Movements like “Black Lives Matter” in Australia have highlighted deaths in custody and systemic racism in policing.
5. Resilience and Resistance
Aboriginal peoples continue to revive languages, strengthen culture, and fight for land rights (e.g., the Mabo decision, 1992).
Leaders, activists, and educators advocate for equity, truth-telling, and treaty processes.
Aboriginal art, literature, and sport challenge stereotypes and celebrate identity.
References (Harvard Style):
AIHW (2022). Australia’s Health 2022: In Brief. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (2021). Prisoners in Australia. Canberra: ABS.
Paradies, Y. (2016). Racism and Indigenous Health. Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Global Public Health.
Dodson, M. (1994). The Wentworth Lecture: The end in the beginning – re(de)finding Aboriginality. Australian Aboriginal Studies, 1, pp.2–13.
