Dr Faith Bandler dedicated her life to promoting the rights of Indigenous Australians. Dr Bandler was at the forefront of a decade-long 'Referendum Campaign' which culminated in the historic 1967 Referendum which saw over 90 percent of Australians vote for constitutional changes to ensure full participation and equal treatment for Indigenous Australians. In 1956 Dr Bandler co-founded the Aboriginal-Australian Fellowship. She later became a key figure in the founding of the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders which, in addition to constitutional reform, campaigned for land rights, equal wages, housing and legislative change.
"Full rights for Indigenous Australians can only come through changes to legislation, not through charity. I gave ten years of my life to work to change a discriminatory federal constitution. Those changes turned the tide for Indigenous Australians. Finally there was access to schools that were not segregated, opportunities for higher education, and the establishment of councils to oversee Indigenous health, housing and arts. The 1967 Referendum opened a new world for Indigenous Australians. It returned dignity to us as a people and, for me, this is the core of respect for human rights" she said.
Human rights medal
Winner