Artefacts about Old-age Pension

A photograph of Vai Stanton standing outside in the sun, wearing a white dress with a flower in her hair. She is holding a small purse with a jacket over her arm.

Aboriginal welfare officer advocates for community

As well as working with communities on government-run reserves in the Northern Territory, Vai Stanton Mimbinggal worked with the government to improve conditions for Aboriginal people nationally.

Excerpt from the first page of the Social Services Act 1966 showing that it amends the Social Services Act 1947 to 1965.

Social Services Act removes references to Aboriginal people

Amendments to this Act in 1966 removed references to Aboriginal people altogether, meaning Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in theory had equal access to government payments. However, discrimination continued.

Officials discuss Child Endowment for grandparent carers

In a series of letters, officials discussed providing government payments to Aboriginal grandparents raising grandchildren.

Government provides information about payments to Aboriginal audiences

An article published by the Aborigines Welfare Board explained Widow Pension and Old-age Pension in simpler language than earlier government ads.

Portrait photograph of Dr Dawn Casey, speaking with a microphone in front of her. She is wearing glasses and a purple woollen top.

Public servant shares wide-ranging impacts of discrimination

At the 2015 Mabo Oration, Dr Dawn Casey discussed the discrimination her family faced when seeking a government payment in the 1970s and her own experiences of discrimination throughout her career in the Australian Public Service.

Cover of 'The two worlds of Jimmie Barker' with the title and a subtitle that reads 'The life of an Australian Aboriginal 1900-1972 as told to Janet Matthews'. There is a picture of 2 footprints.

Autobiography details one man’s pension experience

Social services impacted people in different ways. This excerpt from Jimmie Barker’s autobiography details his experience of having to stop work and beginning to get the pension.

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