Commonwealth Human Rights Commission is established. It is replaced in 1986 by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.
National Aboriginal Conference hosts an Australian meeting of the World Council of Indigenous People.
South Australian Pitjantjajara Land Rights Act is passed, the first such State Act. Anangu Pitjantjajara, a corporate body, is established to administer some 100,000km of land for the Anangu people.
Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care (SNAICC) is established to represent the interests of Australia’s approximately 100 Indigenous community-controlled children’s services.
End of assisted passages to all immigrants except refugees. The Special Humanitarian Program is established.
Dr Charles Nelson Perkins is appointed Permanent Secretary of the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and the first Aboriginal to become a permanent head of a federal government department. He serves as Chairman of the Aboriginal Development Commission between 1981 and 1984. Throughout his career, he is a strident critic of Australian Government policies on indigenous affairs.
Commonwealth Ethnic Schools Program commences, supporting communities offering language tuition in community languages to children.
