Global InformationList of laws concerning Indigenous Australians information
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A range of laws applying to or of specific relevance to Indigenous Australians. A number of laws have been passed since the European settlement of Australia, initially by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, then by the Governors or legislature of each of the Australian colonies and more recently by the Parliament of Australia and that of each of its States and Territories, these laws, arranged chronologically, include:
| Title | Jurisdiction | Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aboriginals Fire Arm Regulation Act 1840 | New South Wales | Control | [1] |
| Aboriginal Orphans Act 1844 | South Australia | Control | [2] |
| Aboriginal Witnesses Act | South Australia | Control | [3] |
| Supply of Liquors to Aborigines Prevention Act 1867 | New South Wales | Control | [4] |
| Aboriginal Protection Act 1869 | Victoria (colonial) | Control | |
| Aborigines Protection Act 1886 (WA) | Western Australia | Control | [5][6][7] |
| Half-Caste Act 1886 (Vic) | Victoria | Control | [8] |
| Half-Caste Act 1886 (WA) | Western Australia | Control | |
| Act to provide certain matters connected with the Aborigines 1889 (statute 24/1889) | Western Australia | Control | |
| Aboriginal Protection and restriction of the sale of opium act 1897 | Queensland | Control | |
| Aborigines Protection Act 1909 | New South Wales | Control | |
| Aborigines Act 1910 | Victoria | ||
| Aborigines Act 1911 | South Australia | Control | [9] |
| Aborigines (Training of Children) Act 1923 | South Australia | Control | [10] |
| Aborigines Act 1934 | South Australia | Control | [11] |
| Aborigines Protection (Amendment) Act 1940 | New South Wales | Control | |
| Pitjantjatjara Lands Act 1956 | South Australia | First native title legislation in the country | [12] |
| Aboriginal Affairs Act 1962 | South Australia | Control | [13] |
| Aboriginal Lands Trust Act 1966 | South Australia | Land rights | |
| Aborigines Act 1969 (NSW) | New South Wales | Control | [14] |
| Aboriginal Lands Act 1970 | Victoria | Land rights | |
| Aboriginal Affairs (Arrangements with the States) Act 1973 | Commonwealth of Australia | Inter-governmental administration | |
| National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) | New South Wales | Heritage | |
| Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 (No. 81 of 1975) | Tasmania | Heritage protection | |
| Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 | Commonwealth of Australia | Land rights | |
| Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act, 1981 | South Australia | Land rights | |
| Maralinga Tjarutja Land Rights Act 1984 | South Australia | Land rights | |
| Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA) | South Australia | Heritage | |
| Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989 | Commonwealth | Control | |
| Native Title Act 1993 | Commonwealth | Native title | [15] |
| Native Title (South Australia) Act 1994 | South Australia | Native title | |
| Aboriginal Lands Act 1995 | Tasmania | Land rights | |
| Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995 (No. 25 of 1995) | Tasmania | Protection | |
| Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act 1996 | Commonwealth | Development | [16][17] |
| Native Title Amendment Act 1998 | Commonwealth | Native title | [18] |
| Burial and Cremation Act 2002 (No. 4 of 2002) | Tasmania | Control | |
| National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 (No. 62 of 2002) | Tasmania | Protection and Control | |
| Nature Conservation Act 2002 (No. 63 of 2002) | Tasmania | Protection | |
| Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee Act 2003 | South Australia | Land rights | |
| Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Qld) | Queensland | Heritage | |
| Commission of Inquiry (Children in State Care and Children on APY Lands) Act 2004 | South Australia | Investigatory/ Child protection |
[19] |
| Aboriginal Land Council Elections Act 2004 | Tasmania | Elections | |
| Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006 | Victoria | Heritage | [20] |
| Stolen Generations of Aboriginal Children Act 2006 | Tasmania | Compensation for people of the Stolen Generations | |
| Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (No. 129, 2007) | Commonwealth | Land control, protection, Control | [21] |
- ^ An Act to prohibit the Aboriginal Natives of New South Wales from having Fire Arms or Ammunition in their possession without the permission of a Magistrate (No.13a/1840)
- ^ An Ordinance to Provide for the Protection, Maintenance, and Up-Bringing of Orphans and other Destitute Children of the Aborigines (No.12/1844)
- ^ To facilitate the admission of the unsworn testimony of Aboriginal inhabitants of South Australia and parts adjacent (No.8/1844)
- ^ An Act to prohibit the supply of Intoxicating Liquors to the Aboriginal Natives of New South Wales
- ^ For records relating to the WA Aboriginal Protection Board see the WA States Records Office accessed 20 March 2008 Archived 29 February 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ An Act to provide for the better protection and management of the Aboriginal natives of Western Australia, and to amend the law relating to certain contracts with such Aboriginal natives (statute 25/1886)
- ^ "Aboriginal Protection Board at the State Records Office of Western Australia, accessed 20 March 2008". Archived from the original on 10 March 2013. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
- ^ Act to amend an Act entitled "An Act to Provide for the Protection and Management of the Aboriginal Natives of Victoria
- ^ An Act to make provision for the better protection and control of the Aboriginal and Half-Caste Inhabitants of the State of South Australia (No.1048/1911)
- ^ An Act to make Better Provision for the Care, Control, and Training of Aboriginal Children, for placing Aboriginal Children under the Control of the State Children's Council, to amend the Aborigines Act, 1911, and for other purposes (No.1565/1923)
- ^ An Act to consolidate certain Acts relating to the protection and control of the aboriginal and half-caste inhabitants of South Australia (No.2154/1934)
- ^ Barrass, Tony; Victoria Laurie (27 September 2006). "From Terra Nullius to Noongar (in 'Long road home')". The Australian. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ An Act to repeal the Aborigines Act, 1934-1939, and to promote the welfare and advancement of Aborigines and of persons of Aboriginal blood in South Australia and for other purposes (No.45/1962)
- ^ Aboriginal Affairs in NSW: A Short History, NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs, accessed 20 March 2008 Archived 20 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Native Title Act 1993
- ^ Bills Digest 50 1996-97, Hindmarsh Island Bridge Bill 1996, Australian Parliamentary Library Archived 2008-12-01 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ See Hindmarsh Island bridge controversy
- ^ Native Title Amendment Act 1998
- ^ Ted Mullighan is the Commissioner
- ^ Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006
- ^ Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 (No. 129, 2007)