2017

1. 29 June Northern Territory Intervention

   Five Aboriginal elders respond to the anniversary of the NT intervention and demand an apology to the men of the Northern Territory and their families and communities, the repeal of the Stronger Futures legislation and the return of self-determination and autonomy.

2. 14 July Arts

   A painting by Anangu artist Peter Mungkuri wins the inaugural Hadley's Art Prize, the world's richest landscape art prize at $100,000, beating 41 finalists. Mungkuri painted his birth place in Fregon, Central Australia, and called the painting Ngura Wiru, which means good country.
   

3. 20 July Land & land rights

   One of the longest-running native title cases (starting in 2003) comes to an end, with the Federal Court awarding exclusive rights over Pilbara land to the Yindjibarndi people. The land includes Fortescue Metals Group’s Solomon Hub mine.

4. 15 August Recognition

   City of Yarra councillors in Melbourne vote unanimously to no longer refer to 26 January as Australia Day in all official documents and not hold citizenship ceremonies on that day to support the campaign to change Australia Day. Neighbouring Darebin council follows on 21 August.

5. 28 August Northern Territory Intervention

   In a Statement from Eminent Australians, 210 Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal signatories call for an immediate end to the intervention in the Northern Territory which they consider "an ongoing stain on the Australian nation". ^[1]

6. 3 September Protest

   Clinton Pryor arrives at Parliament House in Canberra after walking 5,800 kilometres from Perth (WA). Called ‘Spirit Walker’, he had started his year-long walk to highlight the situation of Aboriginal people and meet with the Prime Minister to present him with a list of grievances about the state of Aboriginal affairs.

   

7. October Arts

   Josie Baker wins the title of Miss First Nation Ultimate Queen at the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander national drag competition in Darwin.

8. 18 October Education

   The NSW Parliament introduces the Aboriginal Languages Bill 2017 which is designed to recognise the significance of Aboriginal languages and, for the first time in Australia’s history, how important it is to preserve them and find measures to protect and revive NSW Aboriginal languages.

9. 24 October Arts

   Art of the North celebrates works by two eminent Aboriginal artists from the northern regions of Australia’s Northern Territory, Banduk Marika and Bede Tungutalum. The stamps show Pukumani Poles (1988), Waterlili and Gaya (1983), Untitled (c.1984) and Guyamala (2000).

   

10. 24 October Arts Stamps

    Australia Post publishes a set of stamps themed 'Art of the North', featuring works by two Aboriginal artists from the northern regions of Australia’s Northern Territory, Banduk Marika and Bede Tungutalum. All works are part of the collection of the National Gallery of Australia.

    

11. 26 October Treaty

    Despite more than 60% of Australians supporting the Referendum Council's call for a constitutionally enshrined voice to parliament, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull rejects it because it is neither “desirable or capable of winning acceptance at referendum”. ^[2]

12. 1 November

    The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (UKTNP) board unanimously decides to close the Uluru climb on 26 October 2019.

13. 18 November Remains repatriation

    After more than 40 years away from country at the Australian National University in Canberra, the remains of Mungo Man (the oldest Aboriginal remains discovered at Lake Mungo), along with those of around 100 other Aboriginal people, return home to his ancestral homelands of the Mutti Mutti, Ngiyampaa and Paakantji peoples. ^[3]

14. 20 November Politics

    Greens’ Lidia Thorpe defeats Labor’s Clare Burns in a seat the party had held for 90 years to become the first Aboriginal woman to be elected to the Victorian parliament.

15. 27 November Politics

    Australian Labor Party member Cynthia Lui becomes the first Torres Strait Islander elected to office during the Queensland state election by winning the Cook electorate.

16. 11 December Recognition

    The International Astronomical Union formally approves four Aboriginal names for stars. Three names come from the Wardaman language of northern Australia: Larawag is now used for the star previously known as Epsilon Scorpii, Ginan replaces Epsilon Crucis (the smallest of the five stars that make up the Southern Cross), and Wurren is used for Zeta Phoenicis. The Boorong people of the Wergaia language group in northwestern Victoria contribute Unurgunite (an ancestral figure who fights the Moon) for the star Sigma Canis Majoris.
    

17. 26 December Sport

    A crew of 16 Aboriginal people aboard the Southern Excellence II is the first Aboriginal team to compete in an official yacht race, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Because they missed the entry deadline they are not part of the official race.

2018

1. January Education

   For the first time, Year 11 HSC students can learn about pre-1788 Aboriginal history in the same way they are taught ancient Greek and Roman history, with a new ‘Ancient Australia’ unit within the Ancient History Stage 6 syllabus. Students investigate ancient artefacts and sites in their local area.

2. 26 January Sport

   Wiradjuri woman and tennis legend Evonne Goolagong-Cawley is made a companion of the Order of Australia, the nation’s highest honour. She is recognised for her services to the game as a player and ambassador, and her work as a role model and advocate for young Aboriginal Australians. She was also named Australian of the year in 1971 and made an officer of the Order of Australia in 1983.

3. February Sport

   First Nations skater Harley Windsor becomes the first Aboriginal Australian to compete at the Winter Olympics when he joins the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where he finishes 18th with his skating partner Katya Alexandrovskaya.

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References