Aboriginal passport
Encyclopedia
An Aboriginal Passport refers to various travel documents of varying degrees of legality issued to or by Indigenous Australians
.
was formed in 1901 the new nation excluded Aboriginal people from participating in the new nation, including being counted in census figures. Under the Aborigines Act of 1905, Western Australia
n Aboriginal people had to apply for "citizenship" and were issued Aboriginal "passports" by the Western Australian Government. Without the passport Indigenous Australians
could not work where they wanted, spend money how they wanted, receive health care or enter many public buildings such as hotels or restaurants. The Act was repealed in 1963 and replaced by the Native Welfare Act. The 1967 referendum
allowed for Aboriginal to be included in census figures.
introduced an Aboriginal Passport. The passport was issued to a delegation that visited Libya
in 1988. The passports were used to get into Libya and Mansell in an interview said that it was the "first time I've had any other country recognise the fact that I'm not Australian". On the delegation's return to Australia they were detained by immigration officials until they produced Australian documentation. The Aboriginal Provisional Government
, an organization seeking to create an Aboriginal nation, continued to issue Aboriginal Passports into the 1990s.
Under Australian's Migration Act of 1958 everyone entering the country must have a legal travel document, which under the act is termed as a passport. Barbara Hocking claims that under Australian law a passport is deemed to be a document which looks like a passport. Therefore since the APG issues Aboriginal passports that look like passports Hocking claims that customs agents cannot refuse entry while using Aboriginal passports because under the terms of Australian law they have a travel document issued by the APG that looks like a passport.
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
Western Australia
When the Commonwealth of AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
was formed in 1901 the new nation excluded Aboriginal people from participating in the new nation, including being counted in census figures. Under the Aborigines Act of 1905, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
n Aboriginal people had to apply for "citizenship" and were issued Aboriginal "passports" by the Western Australian Government. Without the passport Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
could not work where they wanted, spend money how they wanted, receive health care or enter many public buildings such as hotels or restaurants. The Act was repealed in 1963 and replaced by the Native Welfare Act. The 1967 referendum
Australian referendum, 1967 (Aboriginals)
The referendum of 27 May 1967 approved two amendments to the Australian constitution relating to Indigenous Australians. Technically it was a vote on the Constitution Alteration 1967, which became law on 10 August 1967 following the results of the referendum...
allowed for Aboriginal to be included in census figures.
Use by activists
In the late 1980s Tasmanian activist Michael MansellMichael Mansell
Michael Mansell is an Aboriginal lawyer and activist, who has dedicated his life to social, political and legal reform to improve the lives and social standing of Tasmanian Aborigines....
introduced an Aboriginal Passport. The passport was issued to a delegation that visited Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
in 1988. The passports were used to get into Libya and Mansell in an interview said that it was the "first time I've had any other country recognise the fact that I'm not Australian". On the delegation's return to Australia they were detained by immigration officials until they produced Australian documentation. The Aboriginal Provisional Government
Aboriginal Provisional Government
The Aboriginal Provisional Government is an Indigenous Australian independence movement.-Earlier activity:In 1988 Michael Mansell, Clarrie Isaacs and other activists who later formed the APG, travelled to Libya using Aboriginal passports used by the group...
, an organization seeking to create an Aboriginal nation, continued to issue Aboriginal Passports into the 1990s.
Under Australian's Migration Act of 1958 everyone entering the country must have a legal travel document, which under the act is termed as a passport. Barbara Hocking claims that under Australian law a passport is deemed to be a document which looks like a passport. Therefore since the APG issues Aboriginal passports that look like passports Hocking claims that customs agents cannot refuse entry while using Aboriginal passports because under the terms of Australian law they have a travel document issued by the APG that looks like a passport.