Since the colonisation of Australia, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have experienced mistreatment and injustice. However, during the Indigenous rights activist movement of the 20th century, there were many turning points that inspired change within Australia. Although there were many events that had led to better treatment of Aboriginal people, the establishment of the Tent Embassy in 1972 has great significance. In this essay, it will be discussed what the Tent Embassy is, what led to its resurrection, the aims and outcomes of this movement, and why it is such a significant event.
The Tent Embassy, or Aboriginal Embassy, is an ongoing establishment, which advocates for Aboriginal political rights. It was initially composed of a beach umbrella and signs, which was soon replaced by several tents (Briscoe, 2014; Iveson, 2017). Over the years, it has been a site of political controversy, and as such has been taken down on several occasions (Iveson, 2017). However, it has always been re-erected and still stands today from its final re-establishment in 1992. Although it is not recognised as an official embassy by the government, it was listed on the Australian Registrar of National Estate in 1995, as a site in Australia symbolising the political struggle of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (The National Museum of Australia, 2007).
In 1966, a movement began as a push for political recognition of Aboriginal land rights. This would mean that not only would Aboriginal people have recognition of their connection to land and water, as it were later outlined in the Native Title legislation; but also compensate them for the past dispossession of their land (Foley & Anderson, 2006; Curthoys, 2014). In 1972, five years after the referendum that allowed Aboriginal people to be included in the census, Prime Minister McMahon made the decision to announce the rejection of the proposed Land Rights for Aboriginal people (Foley & Anderson, 2006; Foley, Schaap & Howell, 2014). Even more devastatingly, he chose the symbolic date of January 26th to do so; the date known as Australia Day, Invasion Day, or Survival Day (Foley & Anderson, 2006). This statement sparked fury amongst Aboriginal activists, and within a matter of hours, they were on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra to protest (Foley & Anderson, 2006). Four activists began this protest by erecting an umbrella with a sign, declaring themselves the “Aboriginal Embassy” (Foley & Anderson, 2006). This act and its dubbed title gave attention to the fact that Aboriginal people were seen as foreigners on their own land (Foley & Anderson, 2006; Curthoys, 2014).
On the February 5th 1972, the Aboriginal Embassy sought to formalise the demands of their protest. Their demands involved a five-point plan for Aboriginal land rights (Foley, 2001). The plan pushed for the Northern Territory to be entirely Aboriginal with legal title and mining rights, to be granted legal title to all existing reserve lands and settlements throughout Australia, the preservation of all sacred sites within Australia, legal title and mining rights to areas around the capital cities of Australia, and compensation starting at a minimum of six billion dollars, plus a percentage for lands that were unable to be reclaimed (Newfong, 1972; Foley, 2001; Pieris, 2012). On several occasions, the embassy was led to believe that it had seen victory. Politicians made promises of freehold title and ownership of land. However, many of these were empty promises (Foley, 2011; Nicoll, 2014). During Whitlam’s 1972 election campaign, he announced that his government would grant land rights to Aboriginals, but once he became prime minister, it was discovered that Whitlam’s promise of land rights only applied to Aboriginals within the Northern Territory (Foley, 2011; Nicoll, 2014). This move was backed by the claim that the Northern Territory was the only state within the Commonwealth jurisdiction and therefore all other Aboriginals governed by state jurisdictions were left behind (Foley, 2011).
This brings to light the question; what did the Aboriginal Embassy actually achieve? Well, despite being somewhat unsuccessful in achieving the aims set out by the Embassy, they are still seen as being successful for bringing to light the issue of land rights, and keeping it on the agenda with Australian political parties (Robinson, 1993). The embassy was also successful in removing the McMahon government, which began the journey towards The Northern Territory Land Rights Act, 1975; which although it was not achieving one of their aims in its entirety, was still part of their plan. The erection of the protest in itself is also a great success for Aboriginal people, and Australia, through their ability to express their constitutional rights through the camp, due to a legal loophole that allowed their indefinite stay on the site. Despite the cruelty and political resistance the protestors experienced, enforced by police, for many years, the embassy stood strong. (Robinson, 2014)
In many ways, the story of the Aboriginal Embassy is one of success. The embassy drew focus to the failing of the government upon the election of Whitlam (Harris & Waterford, 2014). They created a legend of both political and historical importance for Aboriginal people. Even though the embassy’s central claim for land rights was only partially fulfilled by the Northern Territory Act of 1967, the length of embassy’s fight for the return of land, as well as for Aboriginal self-determination, demonstrates its cardinal significance in the history of contemporary Aboriginal politics (Iveson, 2014; Nicoll, 2014; Watson, 2014). The embassy was also successful in establishing a much-needed sense of power, by acting beyond the expected bureaucratic system of negotiation and compromise (Muldoon & Schaap, 2014; Watson 2014). The activists drew attention to the fact that without land rights, they and all Aboriginal people, were to be made to feel like outsiders. The establishment of a ‘tent’ embassy also brought to light the quality of living conditions of Aboriginal people all over Australia (Iveson, 2014). It is because of all these acts that the Tent Embassy movement was such a landmark event in Australian and Aboriginal history.
The notion of land rights for Aboriginal people is an ongoing struggle, even today. Although injustice for Aboriginal people still exists, the movement of the Tent Embassy set in motion a series of events to begin the journey towards fair treatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, as well as much-needed healing. The demands made by the Aboriginal Embassy, which are still being fought for today, are not unreasonable by any means. They are purely advocating for the right to fulfil the needs of Aboriginal people, in the sense of their connection to land and water, whilst still allowing the preservation of many non-indigenous built areas. There is still a long way to go when it comes to righting the past wrongs; however, it is events such as this one that ensures that the public is kept aware of the issues that Aboriginal people are facing and struggling with. It is this awareness that inspires movement and change within society, to a better future and existence for all Australians, both indigenous and non-indigenous.