The National Aboriginal Conference (NAC) was established by the Federal Government in 1977 to provide a forum for the expression of Aboriginal views. On November 12, 1977 election of NAC members took place resulting in 35 elected representatives of electorates throughout Australia. A resolution from the Second National Conference in April, 1979 requested that a Treaty of Commitment be executed between the Aboriginal Nation and the Australian Government. The NAC decided that the agreement should have an Aboriginal name - the Makarrata - and set up a special committee to ask Aboriginals what they would like to see in the Makarrata.

Selected National Aboriginal Conference documents on the Makarrata

The Aboriginal Sovereign Treaty '88 Campaign called for the recognition of Aboriginal Nations and Peoples' sovereign rights, and ownership of Australia, and for the Commonwealth Government of Australia to treaty with Aboriginal sovereign nations through the mechanisms of international law.

Selected documents by Aboriginal Sovereign Treaty '88 Campaign

The Aboriginal Treaty Committee, chaired by Nugget Coombs, was set up in 1979 and ran until 1983. Its aim was to promote the idea of a Treaty amongst non-Indigenous Australians. Stuart Harris and Judith Wright both wrote books on behalf of the Aboriginal Treaty Committee, and Mildred Kirk wrote a series of pamphlets on land rights for the Aboriginal Treaty Committee. These are also reproduced here.

Selected Aboriginal Treaty Committee papers (1979-1983)

In 1981 the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs enquired into the feasibility of securing a compact or Makarrata between the Commonwealth Government and Aboriginal Australians. In 1983 the report entitled "Two Hundred Years Later ....." was published by the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia.

Full report

Some examples of community action for rights are: Yirrkala Bark Petition 1963

In 1988 at the Barunga Festival, an annual community sporting and cultural event, the then Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, who was attending the Festival, was presented with two paintings and text calling for Indigenous rights. This has become known as the Barunga Statement. In his speech Bob Hawke said there would be a treaty within the life of the current Parliament.

The Barunga Statement

A two part seminar series was presented by AIATSIS from March to June 2001, and July to September 2001. The aim of the series was to explore some of the issues surrounding the proposal for a national treaty. The issues include current proposals, past obstacles, issues for Indigenous representation, political and philosophical questions, national identity, reconciliation, belonging, public law implications, and comparisons with other countries.

AIATSIS seminar papers

Many of the current debates about Treaty are on the internet. These links will take to you to these sites.

Selected Australian and international sites on Treaty

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