Australian Freedom Rides 1965

GOAL!

The 1967 Referendum

• The Freedom Ride resulted in a referendum in 1967.
• The referendum was created because Australia's governments and political parties were put under pressure to address and bring attention to the issues of injustice affecting Aboriginal people.
• The referendum approved two amendments to the Australian constitution relating to Indigenous Australians.
• The amendments were very successful, winning 90.77% of votes cast.

Was The Freedom Ride Successful?

• The Freedom Ride generated discussion and debate throughout Australia.
• Charles Perkins organized a television coverage of the Freedom ride along with a newspaper coverage that aimed to bring national attention to the Freedom Ride.
• However, in a short film made 40 years after the Freedom Ride, it shows that, in some country towns, the conditions of Aboriginal people have not changed and there is still much discrimination aimed towards them.
• The long term achievements of the Freedom Ride helped raise awareness permanently of the discrimination against Aboriginal people.
• The discussion sparked by the Freedom Ride generated great public pressure on the government to act.
• This led to the 1967 referendum.

Moree Swimming Pool

• Council law (1955) prohibited Aboriginal people from using local services such as the local baths and swimming pool
• SAFA's protests began with a demonstration outside the council building
• Perkins gathered eight local Aboriginal children and got Bob Brown to drive them down to try and gain entry to the swimming pool
• The pool manager stated: "darkies not allowed in"
• Four police officers, the pool manager and local mayor then decided that Aboriginal children were allowed in as long as they were 'clean'
• The ban was reinstated later
• The freedom riders tried to lift the ban again
• 500 angry locals gathered shouting abuse and grew violent
• Police had to escort the freedom riders out of Moree

Walgett Ride

• The Aboriginals had poor living conditions
• Filthy water, tin houses, overcrowding etc
• Segregated RSL club
• Hostile onlookers
• Pursued by townsfolk
• Run off the road

Australian Freedom Ride, 1965

'The dirty ___ don't deserve any better and they're happy how they are'

- Charles Perkins, quoting a local towns member

Who Was Pat Walford?

• Aboriginal woman from Walgett
• Displayed disgust towards the white men
• Spoke out against mistreatment
• Became a historical figure

Who Was Bob Brown?

• Bob Brown was an ex-councilor
• He opposed to the pool resolution in 1955
• Managed a local business
• Had no links to any existing organisations (political, religious or community based)

Who Was Charles Perkins?

• Born in Alice Springs
• He had a large family
• He married Eileen Munchenberg
• He had 3 children

Charles' Role In The Freedom Ride

By Maira Sykes, Lara Henderson, Alyssa Thomas, Holly Wilson and Lillian Douglas-Borkman

• Creator of the freedom ride
• Gathered activists to protest
• Exposed discrimination
• Became a role model

What Did They Do?

• Surveys
• Protests

• Demonstrations
• Broadcasted evidence of racial inequality

Problems

• Aboriginal health and living conditions
• Forced to live on reserves
• Segregation

• Desegregation of leisure activities
• Gathering information

Aims