Release date: 24 May 2017 Prior to the historic 1967 federal referendum, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples did not have the same rights as other Australians under the constitution: the federal government could make special laws in relation to any Australians other than Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who were instead subject to the varying and often highly discriminatory laws of state governments. On 27 May 1967, Australians voted in a federal referendum involving two questions. The first related to the balance of numbers in the Senate and the House of Representatives. The second question, the one for which the referendum is remembered, concerned changes to the constitution that would empower the federal government to make legislation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, in the same way it could for all other Australians, and would include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in the census. The aspiration was for all Australians to be treated equally under the constitution. By 1967, the mood to rid the constitution of discrimination was growing, including within parliament. In fact, a “no” campaign was never even formulated. The vote was decisive, with 90.77 per cent of Australians voting “yes”. In the wake of the vote, the Constitution Alteration (Aboriginals) Act 1967 (Cth) received assent on 10 August 1967. On 27 May 2017, it will be 50 years since the historic “yes” vote took place. This stamp commemoratesthis important event.

The stamp

“Yes” – $1

The stamp design seeks to capture the unifying impact and acknowledgement the 1967 referendum had on the narrative of Australia’s identity. Contemporary dot art elements and curved lines form a simple yet powerful symbol of two fingerprints merging to form one. The dotted print represents the fundamental place Aboriginal and Torres Strait people and culture have in this story. Inspired by the iconic referendum-campaign font, “yes” boldly sits over the fingerprint, symbolising our strength in unity and what has been thus far achieved.

(50958)

SKU 50958
Shipping Weight 0.0100kg
Shipping Width 0.100m
Shipping Height 0.010m
Shipping Length 0.100m
Assembled Length 10.000m
Assembled Height 1.000m

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