![]() Prior to the Australian Government Policy of Assimilation, Indigenous Australians were deemed as irrelevant to Australia's future. Society was not concerned with them as the Government assured that they were a dying race. This was due to concepts such as Social Darwinism where Charles Darwin's theories such as ‘survival of the fittest’ was applied to humans. 'White Australia' viewed themselves as the most advanced and civilized race and Indigenous Australians were thought of as inferior, uncivilized and unimportant in comparison.
One it was eventually realized that Indigenous Australians were not a dying race, the 1937 Commonwealth Conference of Aboriginal Affairs was held in order to deal with the 'issue' of Indigenous people.This is when assimilation was formally approved and implemented by the Australian Government. Throughout the stolen generations, many children who grew up in foster homes suffered emotion and physical abuse. The picture on the right shows a woman selecting which child she wants to bring home based on which looks the fittest for labor. This shows that she specifically wants the child for labor and because of that, the child would not have grown in a normal and healthy family environment. The photo provides evidence to the fact that society didn't care much for, or accept Aboriginal people Although the Government attempted to improve conditions for Indigenous Australians in the years following World War Two, society was unwilling to accept them into the community. Paul Haslack, in a July 1959 address, said, “if there are fringe-dwellers where you live, have you ever thought of forming a local group who will do for these old Australians what the Good Neighbour Councils have done for the ‘new Australians’ by helping to join the rest of the community?” This highlights the attitudes of Australian society towards Indigenous people. They ignored Indigenous people and isolated them. Despite the Government's efforts they would only be accepted if society was willing to accept them. In the years between 1957 – 1963 the Government published Assimilation propaganda booklets which aimed to show Indigenous Australians as equal to white people. The cover to the 1959 booklet (pictured below) shows a white man and black man together completing a task as equals. The aim of the booklets was to encourage white people to accept Indigenous Australians but this was unsuccessful. It is evident that any attempts made by the Government were unsuccessful because white people contained racist attitudes towards Indigenous people. The Australian Government Policy of assimilation prevented Indigenous Australians from gaining equality in 'White Australia'. |
References Korff, J. (2016). A guide to Australia’s Stolen Generations. [online] Creative Spirits. Available at: https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/politics/a-guide-to-australias-stolen-generations [Accessed 25 Aug. 2016]. McGregor, R. (2006). One People: Aboriginal Assimilation and the White Australian Ideal. 6th ed. Melbourne: University of Melbourne. Available at: http://search.informit.com.au.ezproxy.slq.qld.gov.au/documentsummary;dn=200905863;res=ielapa McGregor, R. (2007). Making One People: Whiteness, Australian Nationhood and Aboriginal Assimilation. 1st ed. (e-book). Melbourne: University of Melbourne. pp.71-79. Available at: http://search.informit.com.au.exproxy.slq.qld.gov.au/documentsummary;dn=832185169081232 Windschuttle, K. (n.d.). Breeding out the colour. [online] Stolengenerations.info. Available at: http://www.stolengenerations.info/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=140&Itemid=109 [Accessed 27 Aug. 2016]. Working With ATSI. (n.d.). Assimilation (1940s to the 1960s). Available at: http://www.workingwithatsi.info/content/history4.htm. [Accessed 3 Aug 2016] |