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The Australian Parliament passed a law last summer that deprives Aborigines of the right to negotiate land claims with the federal government. Under the new law, Aborigines will be able to negotiate claims only with state governments.
Passage of the law represented a compromise over an issue that had divided the nation. Australia’s prime minister, John Howard, had threatened to dissolve Parliament and call for new elections if the law was not passed. Such elections would likely have increased the representation of the right-wing One Nation party, which opposes multiculturalism and immigration.
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The Aborigines are the original inhabitants of Australia. Their ancestors are believed to have arrived in the country from Southeast Asia about 50,000 years ago.
- Who are the Aborigines?Answer
- How did the new law passed in Australia affect them?Answer
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