Discrimination against Aboriginal
Australian in World War 2
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples may have joined up for similar reasons as other service men and women. But, their context was very different. Laws and prejudice controlled Indigenous peoples' lives.
Government policy
During the 1930s, each state strengthened government control over Indigenous peoples' lives. The state Protection Acts were laws that controlled Indigenous peoples' rights to:
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drink
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earn a living
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marry
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own a dog
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travel within and across states
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vote
These laws also allowed authorities to remove Aboriginal children from their families. This policy led to the Stolen Generations. Few Indigenous families escaped the traumatic effects of these policies. (see Chapter 2 of Bringing Them Home))
Social discrimination
Negative stereotypes of Aboriginal people persisted throughout the 20th century.
Historian, Richard Broome, said these attitudes dated back to Australia's colonial past. They led to deep-seated prejudice and segregation in many country towns.
By the 1940s, many First Australians were excluded from:
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churches
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cinemas
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hairdressers
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schools
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shops
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state schools
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swimming pools
In most cases, Indigenous workers received less pay than other workers. Sometimes they were not paid at all.
Because of these factors, many Aboriginal people continued to live in poverty. Poorer access to education, health care, housing and services was common.
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