Item Item 5 - Allegations of racism & prejudice practised by Townsville police against coloured folks of that city

Identity area

Reference code

FVF622-Item 5

Title

Allegations of racism & prejudice practised by Townsville police against coloured folks of that city

Date(s)

  • 1972 (Creation)

Level of description

Item

Extent and medium

3 leaves ; 34 cm

Context area

Name of creator

(1958-1978)

Administrative history

A conference in Adelaide in 1958 resulted in the formation of the Federal Council for Aboriginal Advancement. In 1964, the organisation was renamed to include Torres Strait Islanders in the title. Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders (FCAATSI) was formed to advance the rights of Aboriginal people. The Council included Aboriginal Advancement organisations, unions and church organisations. One of the Council's most successful campaigns was establishing the 1967 Referendum. In March 1978 FCAATSI changed its name to the National Aboriginal and Islander Liberation Movement (NAILM) but the organisation never met. It disbanded that same year after the federal government cut funding.

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Content and structure area

Scope and content

Duplicated typescript. First page contains an account of police interactions with members of the Indigenous community in Townsville on the night of New Year's Eve 1971 and early morning of New Year's Day 1972. Details allegations of racism and prejudice on the part of the police in these interactions. Signed off by J. McGinness (Joseph Daniel McGinness), President of the Federal Council for the Advancement of Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders, January 1972. This document is accompanied by a duplicated typescript letter, two pages, dated 13 January 1972, addressed to the proprietor of the Terminus Hotel in South Brisbane, Queensland. This letter details an alleged incident of racial discrimination on the night of 23 December 1971 against a couple of patrons, Colin and Val Blaw. The letter is signed off by Roy Hopkins, Secretary. A typescript addition at the bottom of the second page of the letter notes a lack of reply to the letter and calls for supporters to attend a sit-in at the Terminus Hotel on a forthcoming Monday night, possibly 14 January 1972.

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Unrestricted access.

Conditions governing reproduction

Orphan work. The rightsholder for this work cannot be identified, or is identifiable but cannot be found, after a reasonably diligent search. If you believe you are a rightsholder for this material, please contact Fryer Library directly at fryer@library.uq.edu.au.

Can be reproduced for personal research and study. For other uses see About copyright. Please attribute the Fryer Library.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

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Status

Revised

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Revised, Kymberley Doyle, 30-Jan-2025.
Revised, SJB, 5-Jan-2024.
Migrated from LMS: April 2019, P.A.

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