This law marked the first major recognition of Aboriginal Land rights by an Australian government. The Act returned to the promises contained in the 1836 Letters Patent by establishing a Trust to hold the title and take over the administration of all the existing Aboriginal Reserves for the benefit of the Aboriginal people. The Governor of South Australia assented to the new law on 8 December 1966. A proposed provision for transferring all mining and mineral rights to the Trust was rejected in the Legislative Council and the Bill amended.

Sources

Jaensch, Dean (ed.), The Flinders History of South Australia: Political History, Wakefield Press, Adelaide, 1986.

Parkin, A and Patience, A (eds), The Dunstan Decade, Longman Cheshire, Melbourne, 1981.

Richards, Eric (ed.), The Flinders History of South Australia: Social History, Wakefield Press, Adelaide, 1986.



Detail showing the crest on the title page of the Aboriginal Lands Trust Act 1966 (SA).

Long Title:	An Act to establish an Aboriginal Lands Trust to define the powers and functions thereof and for purposes incidental thereto (No. 87 of 1966)
No. of pages:	7
Medium:	Paper
Measurements:	21.5 x 34 cm
Provenance:	South Australian Parliament
Features:	Signature
Location & Copyright:	Legislative Council of South Australia
Reference:	None