The 1967 Referendum

On 27 May 1967 a remarkable event occurred. An overwhelming majority of electors voted in a national referendum to amend clauses of the Australian Constitution concerning Aboriginal people. Today it is commonly regarded as a turning point in the history of relations between Indigenous and white Australians: a historic moment when citizenship rights -- including the vote -- were granted and the Commonwealth at long last assumed responsibility for Aboriginal affairs. Yet the constitutional changes entailed in the referendum brought about none of these things.

"The 1967 Referendum" explores the legal and political significance of the referendum and the long struggle by black and white Australians for constitutional change. It traces the emergence of a series of powerful narratives about the Australian Constitution and the status of Aborigines, revealing how and why the referendum campaign acquired so much significance and has since become the subject of highly charged myth in contemporary Australia. Attwood and Markus's text is complemented by personal recollections and opinions about the referendum by a range of Indigenous people, and historical documents and illustrations.

About the Author

Bain Attwood is Associate Professor of History in the School of Historical Studies, Monash University, and Adjunct Professor, Centre for Cross-Cultural Research, The Australian National University.

Andrew Markus is Professor of Jewish Civilisation and Director of the Australian Centre for the Study of Jewish Civilisation, Monash University. They have both written extensively on Aboriginal history and Australian race relations.