The promise of 1967: Commonwealth Public Administration of Indigenous Affairs 50 years on

In his lecture, Dr Martin Parkinson AC PSM reflects on what the 1967 Referendum has meant for the evolution of Indigenous Affairs policy in Australia. At long last, the ‘yes’ vote gave the Commonwealth constitutional power to act positively and decisively in First Australians’ interests, and for the first time, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples were given statistical visibility through inclusion in the Census.

Dr Parkinson critically reflects on whether the promise of these changes has been met, and what lessons the Public Service should take from the past to map out a new way of working in the future.