Home: Rights and Freedoms

Visit Scootle for the learning objects that are associated with this topic.

• The origins and significance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including Australia’s involvement in the development of the declaration
• Background to the struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples for rights and freedoms before 1965, including the 1938 Day of Mourning and the Stolen Generations
• The US civil rights movement and its influence on Australia
• The significance of the following for the civil rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples: 1962 right to vote federally; 1967 Referendum; Reconciliation; Mabo decision; Bringing Them Home Report (the Stolen Generations), the Apology
• Methods used by civil rights activists to achieve change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and the role of ONE individual or group in the struggle
• The continuing nature of efforts to secure civil rights and freedoms in Australia and throughout the world, such as the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007)

• The Referendum Australia had to have
• Parliament House - The 1967 Referendum
• State Library of Victoria - The 1967 Referendum
• The Referendum, 1957-67

  Use the subject headings on the left to navigate to specific details on the Referendum.

Visit ABC Splash for videos, interactive activities and digibooks on rights and freedoms.

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Issues in society:

Child protection

The free speech debate

Human rights in Australia

Human rights and civil liberties

Indigenous rights

Poverty and exclusion

Racial prejudice and discrimination

Religious freedom and discrimination

Stories from Australia's history:

Vincent Lingari and the Wave Hill Walkout

Charles Perkins and the Freedom Ride

Stories from Australia’s History : Teaching notes