While Anglo-Australians can be proud of a long-time forgotten truth of “Fair Go” Australia for the privileged, today’s Australia is an unequal & unfair society. The myth of “Fair Go” Australia is just a shield, protecting Australia against criticism of Australia’s unfair treatments of Indigenous Australians & Australians from other minority groups.

In May 1967, white Australians voted overwhelmingly to abolish discrimination against Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The Referendum allowed the Government to make laws for Indigenous Australians & to have them counted as citizens of Australia.

The amendment to the Constitution was simply a “window-dressing”. Indigenous Australians continue to experience widespread institutionalised racism & remained unequal & marginalised minority group. High rates of unemployment, poverty & welfare dependency characterised the living conditions of Indigenous Australians today.

Successive governments have used discriminatory policies not different from Apartheid South Africa, treating Indigenous Australians as second-class citizens. The health conditions are disastrous in Aboriginal communities. Access to primary health care services by Indigenous Australians remains worse than any other sector of Australian society.

The 20-year gap in life expectancy between Indigenous & non-Indigenous Australians remains an unchallenged scandal.

ANU Reconciliation Lecture