List of laws concerning Indigenous Australians


A range of laws applying to or of specific relevance to Indigenous Australians. A number of laws have been passed since the European settlement of Australia, initially by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, then by the Governors or legislature of each of the Australian colonies and more recently by the Parliament of Australia and that of each of its States and Territories, these laws, arranged chronologically, include:
TitleJurisdictionFocusNotes
Aboriginals Fire Arm Regulation Act 1840New South WalesControl
Aboriginal Orphans Act 1844South AustraliaControl
Aboriginal Witnesses ActSouth AustraliaControl
Supply of Liquors to Aborigines Prevention Act 1867New South WalesControl
Aboriginal Protection Act 1869Victoria Control
Aborigines Protection Act 1886 (WA)Western AustraliaControl
Half-Caste Act 1886 (Vic)VictoriaControl
Half-Caste Act 1886 (WA)Western AustraliaControl
Act to provide certain matters connected with the Aborigines 1889 Western AustraliaControl
Aboriginal Protection and restriction of the sale of opium act 1897QueenslandControl
Aborigines Protection Act 1909New South WalesControl
Aborigines Act 1910Victoria
Aborigines Act 1911South AustraliaControl
Aborigines (Training of Children) Act 1923South AustraliaControl
Aborigines Act 1934South AustraliaControl
Aborigines Protection (Amendment) Act 1940New South WalesControl
Pitjantjatjara Lands Act 1956South AustraliaFirst native title legislation in the country
Aboriginal Affairs Act 1962South AustraliaControl
Aboriginal Lands Trust Act 1966South AustraliaLand rights
Aborigines Act 1969 (NSW)New South WalesControl
Aboriginal Lands Act 1970VictoriaLand rights
Aboriginal Affairs (Arrangements with the States) Act 1973Commonwealth of AustraliaInter-governmental administration
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW)New South WalesHeritage
Aboriginal Relics Act 1975 (No. 81 of 1975)TasmaniaHeritage protection
Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976Commonwealth of AustraliaLand rights
Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Land Rights Act, 1981South AustraliaLand rights
Maralinga Tjarutja Land Rights Act 1984South AustraliaLand rights
Aboriginal Heritage Act 1988 (SA)South AustraliaHeritage
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission Act 1989CommonwealthControl
Native Title Act 1993CommonwealthNative title
Native Title (South Australia) Act 1994South AustraliaNative title
Aboriginal Lands Act 1995TasmaniaLand rights
Living Marine Resources Management Act 1995 (No. 25 of 1995)TasmaniaProtection
Hindmarsh Island Bridge Act 1996CommonwealthDevelopment
Native Title Amendment Act 1998CommonwealthNative title
Burial and Cremation Act 2002 (No. 4 of 2002)TasmaniaControl
National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 (No. 62 of 2002)TasmaniaProtection and Control
Nature Conservation Act 2002 (No. 63 of 2002)TasmaniaProtection
Aboriginal Lands Parliamentary Standing Committee Act 2003South AustraliaLand rights
Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2003 (Qld)QueenslandHeritage
Commission of Inquiry (Children in State Care and Children on APY Lands) Act 2004South AustraliaInvestigatory/
Child protection
Aboriginal Land Council Elections Act 2004TasmaniaElections
Aboriginal Heritage Act 2006VictoriaHeritage
Stolen Generations of Aboriginal Children Act 2006TasmaniaCompensation for people of the Stolen Generations
Northern Territory National Emergency Response Act 2007 CommonwealthLand control, protection, Control