Aboriginal Protection Board facts for kids
The Aboriginal Protection Board was a name used for several government groups in Australia. These groups were set up in different states and territories. Their main job was to control the lives of Aboriginal people. They also played a big part in the sad history of the Stolen Generations. These boards had a lot of power over where Aboriginal people lived, worked, and even who they could marry.
The boards appointed people called Protectors of Aborigines. These protectors could decide where Aboriginal people lived or worked. They could also control the money Aboriginal people earned. The exact powers of these protectors changed over time and in different places. Many local police officers became protectors.
Aboriginal protection boards also gave out special permits. These permits allowed Aboriginal people to leave their missions or reserves. This let them enter the wider society for a short time.
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History of Aboriginal Protection Boards
Victoria's Protection Board
The first board, called the Central Board Appointed to Watch Over the Interests of the Aborigines, started in 1860. This was later replaced by the Victorian Central Board for the Protection of Aborigines in 1869. This made Victoria the first Australian colony to have strong rules about Aboriginal people's lives.
The board had huge control. It decided where people lived, worked, and even who they could marry. The Aboriginal Protection Act 1869 gave the board these powers.
In 1886, the Victorian Half-Caste Act gave the board even more power. This act started to remove Aboriginal people of mixed heritage, sometimes called "half-castes," from their homes. The goal was to make them live like European people. This process is called assimilation. These removals broke up families and communities. This caused a lot of sadness and protest.
The board was eventually closed down in 1957. This happened because of the Aborigines Act 1957. Later, in 1970, the Aboriginal Lands Act 1970 recognized Aboriginal people's right to their land.
New South Wales Protection Board
The New South Wales Board for the Protection of Aborigines began in 1883. It gained much more power under the Aborigines Protection Act 1909. This act gave the board control over many parts of Aboriginal people's lives.
The board could decide where Aboriginal people lived. It could also control their money. Most importantly, the board had the power to remove Aboriginal children from their families. This was a key part of the Stolen Generations. Children were taken from their homes to be raised like white children.
In 1911, an update to the Aboriginal Protection Act created homes for these children. These included Kinchela Boys Home and Cootamundra Domestic Training Home for Aboriginal Girls. Children sent there were often not well cared for. They were taught farm work or house duties. Many ended up working as servants.
In 1915, the board got even more power. The Aborigines Protection Amending Act 1915 allowed them to remove children without a court order.
The board changed its name in 1940 to the Aborigines Welfare Board. This was part of a plan to make Aboriginal people fit into white society. The idea was that Aboriginal culture would disappear. The board was closed in 1969. After this, the NSW Aboriginal Advisory Council was formed to help Aboriginal people.
Western Australia Protection Board
Western Australia's Aborigines Protection Board started in 1886. It was created by the Aborigines Protection Act, 1886. This act aimed to protect Aboriginal people. But it mostly put them under tighter government control.
The act introduced work agreements between employers and Aboriginal workers. These agreements did not always include wages. Workers were supposed to get food, clothing, and blankets. The act also allowed children of mixed heritage to be forced into apprenticeships until they were 21.
The board was meant to stop unfair treatment. However, it gave the board more power over Aboriginal people. It did not set up a system to punish white people for harming Aboriginal people. In 1898, the board was replaced by the Aborigines Department.
South Australia Protection Board
In South Australia, the Aborigines Protection Board was created in 1939. This happened through the Aborigines Act Amendment Act 1939. The board's job was to control and improve the lives of Aboriginal people. This included anyone with Aboriginal family.
Decline of the Boards
By the late 1960s, all Australian states and territories had changed their laws. They removed the rules that allowed Aboriginal children to be taken from their families. This marked the end of the "protection" policy.
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