M1 - Learner Manual

When colonialists encountered Aboriginal people, they often referred to them by the locations they were living and in the ensuing years, relationships with the local Aboriginal population produced children. Due to this, classifications entered the legislative processes in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania and remained in place until 1950’s. The States enforced laws and policies to regulate the lives of the traditional custodians. These policies kept Aboriginal people on missions, reserves and the outskirts of towns denying them access to social services and benefits available to mainstream Australians. This was all done on the basis of incorrect assumptions that Aboriginal people were a dying race.