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Faith Bandler discusses the 1967 Referendum

Extract from Australian Biography: Faith Bandler (1993). Film Australia Collection, 403180, National Film and Sound Archive

An excerpt from a documentary in the Australian Biography series from 1993, profiling the life of Faith Bandler. In this short clip she discusses the need for a change in the Australian Constitution so that Indigenous Australian people could be subject to the same federal legislation as all other Australians.

In May 1967, after 10 years of campaigning, a referendum on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition in the Australian Constitution was held. The vote focused public attention on the fact that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders were treated as second-class citizens. Nearly 91 per cent of Australians voted to amend the Constitution. This change publicly recognised Aboriginal people as full Australian citizens.

Activities

1. What does this short film clip show? Summarise what you see and hear.
 

2. Does the film appear to have a main purpose or message? If so, what do you think it is?
 

3. Who made the film clip and when was it made? Use this information to try to work out why the film was made. Does this change what you think about the purpose of the film?

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