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The Significance Of The 1992 Mabo High Court Case

702 Words3 Pages

The 1992 Mabo High Court case represents one of the most profound cases in Australian history leading to the turning point of Reconciliation for Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders. As a result of this decision, it changed the legislation of the indigenous Australians introducing land rights and impacted the indigenous Australians society rights and freedom as a more desirable outcome in the movement towards Reconciliation.

The 1992 Mabo court case was a pivotal turning point in the progressive Reconciliation in Australia. It paved the pathway for Indigenous land rights and confronted the state of Queensland and Australian commonwealth to regain their freedom and equality.

To grasp the historical context leading up to the Mabo decision …show more content…

Indigenous Australians had experienced a long history of dispossession, colonization, and marginalisation. The doctrine of terra nullius was used by the British to justify the of Indigenous lands, without recognising their traditional ownership or sovereignty. It was not until 1965 Indigenous Australians were allowed to vote, two years later 1967 Indigenous Australians were finally granted citizenship and in 1985 they were treated equal with other voters, ending almost two centuries of political exclusion.
The Mabo decision is significant as it marked the first time the High Court explicitly rejected the doctrine of terra nullius and recognised the existence of Indigenous land rights. The case was named after Eddie Mabo, a Torres Strait Islander man who, alongside a group of Meriam people, challenged the Queensland state government with the Commonwealth and High Court to claim back their family land on Mer Island. The High Court ruled that Indigenous Australians had a right to claim native title to traditional lands that were not legally owned by the

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