Up until the 1950s, protection and segregation policies determined the way of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. In 1883, the Aborigines Protection Board* was established to segregate and control ‘full-blood’** and ‘half-caste’** people in NSW. This led to the development of the NSW Aborigines Protection Act 1909*.
Under this legislation, Aboriginal people were moved onto reserves and missions, keeping them separated and distanced from the white population. Reserves were mostly managed by the government and missions were mostly managed by religious organisations.
The Board had the power to decide where Aboriginal people lived and appointed managers to control Aboriginal peoples’ lives, including daily routines, leaving the reserve, marriage and where people could work.
We have used historical terms; however, ‘Aborigine’* is no longer used or accepted when referring to Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples. It is offensive and racist to classify people according to a ‘caste’ system, and these terms and the system are no longer used or accepted today**.