The 1967 Referendum, or When the Aborigines Didn't Get the Vote SIGNED

In Australia, on May 27, 1967, a remarkable event occurred. An overwhelming majority of electors voted in an Australian national referendum to amend clauses of the Australian Constitution concerning Aboriginal people. May 27, 2007 is the 40th anniversary of this landmark event. Nowadays, a younger generation of Australians is unaware of this historical achievement, while an older generation remains unclear about its significance. The referendum is commonly considered the turning point in Australian historical and cultural life. This historic moment is when citizenship rights were granted including the vote and the Commonwealth finally assumed responsibility for Aboriginal affairs. However, the outcomes for Indigenous Australians have not improved significantly. So what is the referendum's value now? This fully revised and updated second edition explores the legal and political significance of the referendum and the long struggle by Australians for constitutional change.