Loss of land has had economic, social, cultural and spiritual consequences for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples spanning many generations. In addition, for more than one hundred years many Indigenous people worked for rations rather than wages. Also, many were forcibly removed from their families as children, affecting whole communities. What happened in the past continues to have consequences today. Compared with other Australians, Indigenous people experience poorer health, limited employment opportunities, educational disadvantage and greater imprisonment.
Economic disadvantage restricts life choices and is a major obstacle to self-determination.
Aboriginal people and Torres Strait Islanders often face prejudice when trying to rent a home, find a job, hire a taxi, get service in shops and banks, and when doing the simple everyday things that most Australians take for granted. Building on achievements Since the 1960s, there has been considerable improvement in Australia's treatment of the first peoples. More Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are achieving recognition for their contribution to the life of the nation and success in their chosen fields. The civil rights of Indigenous peoples have been recognised through the extension of voting rights, the 1967 Referendum, and the Racial Discrimination Act 1975. Increasingly, our courts are also recognising the cultures, histories and rights of the first peoples of Australia.