1970

Aboriginal Secondary Grants Scheme (ABSEG)

The Aboriginal Secondary Grants scheme commenced in 1970 to help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students to stay at secondary school for as long as study was of benefit to them. The scheme was started because the government realised that few Aborigines would be eligible to take up Abstudy awards, introduced in 1969, unless something was done to promote higher achievements at the secondary level.

Students had to be under 21 years of age on 1 January of the year of the grant and attend an approved secondary school or class. Grants were also available for primary students if they were 14 years or more on 1 January of the year of the grant. As a result of the introduction of the Scheme, the numbers of Koorie students staying at school dramatically increased.

1971

Pre-school enrolments of Aboriginal Children in Victoria

Year	1971	1972	1973	1974	1975	1976	1977
Number in receipt of awards		92	110	105	109	75	76
Number Attend pre-schools		12	102	120	115	119	140

Aboriginal Primary School Enrolments

Year	1971	1972	1973	1974	1977
Enrolments	962	989	928	875	1287

These statistics show the increase in the number of Koorie primary and pre-school children in the system over a period of eight years as a result of changes in government policy.

The Aboriginal Flag

The Aboriginal flag, designed by Harold Thomas of the Arrente people was flown for the first time on National Aboriginal and Islander Day in 1971. It was flown as a national symbol of unity at the Tent Embassy on Australia Day in 1972. The flag feature three colours, red, black and yellow. The black represents the Aboriginal people, the red represents the earth and the blood that was shed in the land rights struggle and the yellow represents the sun.

1972

Gough Whitlam

The election of the Labor government led to a change in the way that Aboriginal people were treated by government. Whitlam created the first separate Federal Ministry for Aboriginal Affairs, the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and tripled the Aboriginal Affairs budget. Before his removal, Gough Whitlam and his government put into place programs that were ensured his words became action. The tripling of the Aboriginal Affairs budget resulted in the establishment of many Aboriginal organisations around Australia to cater for the needs of Aboriginal community. In Victoria, the 1970's saw the establishment of many of the organisations that still exist today, including the Victorian Aboriginal Eduction Consultative Group.

In 1972 the Labor government, headed by Gough Whitlam was elected. Gough Whitlam promised in his 'Its Time' policy speech in December 1972, to: "legislate to give Aborigines land rights- not just because their case is beyond argument, but because all of us as Australians are diminished while the Aborigines are denied their rightful place in the nation. Let us never forget this; Australia's real test as far as the rest of the world, and particularly our region is concerned is the role we create for our own Aborigines. In this sense, and it is a very real sense, the Aborigines are our true link with our region Australia's treatment of her Aboriginal people will be the thing upon which the rest of the world will judge Australia and Australians not just now, but in the greater perspective of history. The Aborigines are a responsibility we cannot escape, cannot share, cannot shuffle off; the world will not let us forget that."

After the election Whitlam said: "If there is one achievement for which I hope we will be remembered it is that the Government I lead removed a stain from our national honour and gave justice and equality to the Aboriginal people."

Aboriginal Pre-school Assistants Scheme

In order to increase the number of enrolments of Koorie children in pre-schools, the Aboriginal Pre-school Assistants Scheme was introduced in 1973 and twenty Aboriginal pre-school assistants were employed by the Health Commission of Victoria with funding provided by the Victorian Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs. At the same time, two hundred pre-school awards were provided and capital grants on a pro-rata basis given to pre-schools where Aboriginal children were enrolled.

Two qualified Kindergarten teachers were employed as pre-school advisers under the scheme to advise Kindergartens about the needs of Koorie pre-school children.

In 1974, a mobile pre-school unit was made available for Koorie children in East Gippsland to service the Kurnai/Gunnai people. The mobile pre-school unit made it possible for the children to attend a pre-school that was Koorie culturally inclusive.

Tent Embassy

An Aboriginal tent embassy was set up on the lawns of Parliament House on Australia Day in 1972. The embassy was protest about the failure of the Australian governments to give Land Rights to Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal flag, designed by Harold Thomas, was flown for the first time as a national symbol for all Aboriginal people.

Young black leaders erected a tent on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra. The police continually tore down the tents, but the protestors continually put them up again. There were violent clashes between the police and the protestors. Mum Shirl, an Aboriginal woman from NSW who worked with young Koories, says of this time:

"The young blacks were getting buses ready to go to Canberra to put the Embassy back up. I went too, to help if I could. I took some very young children with me because I knew this would be a marvellous moment in history and I didn't want any Black kids to miss it." The tent Embassy was significant because it gave Aboriginal people a national identity and showed non-Aboriginal Australia that they were not going to sit back while their rights were removed. Although the Embassy was in Canberra, there were people from all over Australia who went to Canberra to protest. Many Victorians were present at the Tent Embassy. The Tent Embassy gave a national voice to previous state -wide protests. After the Embassy, Koories came back to Victoria more determined to maintain the struggle for Aboriginal rights.

Sir Rohan Delacombe Award

Sir Rohan Delacombe, was the former Governor of Victoria. The Sir Rohan Delacombe Awards provided assistance for Koorie student's year 9 or higher at secondary and technical schools. The awards were given under the Masters Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Victoria.

Aboriginal Teacher Aides/ Koorie Educators:

The Ministry of Aboriginal Affairs employed the first Koorie employees in schools under the Special Works Program, a program that was initiated as an employment strategy for Aborigines. Twenty-one Koories were employed in Victorian schools (mainly technical and high schools), as teacher aides, groundsmen or library assistants.

The Victorian Aboriginal Education Consultative Group negotiated with the Department of Education and administrators within the schooling system to change the program from an employment program, to an educational program. As a result of these negotiations, this program was changed to the Teacher Aide program and then to the Koorie Educator program. Over a ten year period, the roles of the Koorie employees changed from being employed in schools as teacher aides, groundsmen and library assistants, to that of providing support for Koorie students and their families.

Camp Jungai holiday camp

A cross cultural holiday camp was established at Camp Jungai at Rubicon near Eildon, in Victoria. The camps included Aboriginal culture classes, craft activities, and outdoor programs.

Camp Jungai held eight camps and two staff conferences each year. Schools were able to access the Camp and it was an important part of the cultural maintenance for Victorian Koories. Many Koorie students in Victoria accessed the camp during the 1970's and 1980's.In 1978, the V.A.E.C.G held the first Summer School for tertiary students at Camp Jungai.In the 1980's, they held Education Transition camps for Koorie children who were being promoted from grade 6 in primary school to year 7 in secondary schooling. The camps were held to make the transition process for the students easier and to give them some skills in using the computer, literacy and numeracy. The Education Transition Camps were held at Camp Jungai during this time. Camp Jungai has been renovated and continues to provide camps in 2001.

1974

The Schools Commission Aboriginal Consultative Group

When the Schools Commission was established at the Commonwealth level they set up the Aboriginal Consultative Group. The Aboriginal Consultative Group was concerned about the lack of involvement in education by Aboriginal people. As a result, the Schools Commission conducted an inquiry into Aboriginal Education across Australia. The Schools Commission Report of 1975 stated that: Aborigines "have the worst schooling" and they expressed concern over the lack of involvement by Aboriginal people in programs being undertaken on their behalf" (Watts,).At this time, the failure of the Education system to cater for the needs of Aboriginal students led to a situation where few Aboriginal students were going right through school.

This report led to the funding of special programs to State and Territory Education systems in 1975 by the Commonwealth government to put specific programs in place that would alleviate the disadvantages of Aboriginal students in the education systems. The Commission wrote to State Departments to suggest programs that could aim to increase the amount of involvement by Aboriginal people in the education process. They offered financial support to establish Aboriginal Consultative Groups at the State level. Victoria, Queensland and NSW were the first three States to establish Consultative Groups. The Victorian Aboriginal Education Consultative Group was then able to establish many programs to service the needs of Victorian Koorie students.

The Aboriginal Overseas Study Awards Scheme

The Aboriginal Overseas Study Awards Scheme was introduced in 1974 to enable Aboriginal community leaders to pursue study overseas. It was intended that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, who are leaders in their communities, could enhance their skills and experiences by going overseas and undergoing short-term study, to observe other Indigenous communities. By doing this, they could use their experience, observations and study to make an impact on Aboriginal Affairs in Australia and to lobby for changes to be made accordingly. The scheme is still in operation in 2001.

Swinburne Course in Community Organisation for Aborigines

A one-year tertiary-bridging course at Swinburne College of Technology was implemented for Aboriginal students in 1974. The course emphasised community organisation, comparative lifestyles and social change. It was one of the first courses to recognise the importance of Aboriginal cultural values and lifestyles and was intended to provide young Aboriginal students with an introduction into leadership within the Aboriginal community. The Aboriginal students came from different clan groups around Victoria to attend this course and as a result of the course, many of the students are leaders in their Koorie communities today.