A new generation take the freedom ride 2005

By NSW Dept of Aboriginal Affairs

February 2005 marked the 40th anniversary of the 1965 'Freedom Ride', led by Aboriginal icon and activist Dr Charles Perkins.

To commemorate the anniversary a group of 30 students, social justice advocates and young film makers set off to retrace the original Freedom Ride, to take stock of just how much has changed in the past 40 years and to generate a new debate on the status of reconciliation in Australia.

An event of historical significance, the Freedom Ride of 1965 helped awaken mainstream Australia of the 1960s to the level of discrimination and injustice endured by Aboriginal people in regional areas. Sparked by similar protests in the southern states of America, the Australian Freedom Ride was part of the broader movement for civils rights for Aboriginal people and helped create momentum for changes such as the 1967 referendum.

Freedom Ride coordinator Sylvie Ellsmore said the project was co-ordinated by ReconciliACTION, Australia's largest anti-racism youth network, and the NSW Reconciliation Council with financial and operational support from the NSW Department of Aboriginal Affairs (the Department).

"It was an initiative of young people living in Redfern and surrounding areas which grew to include members from a range of community and Aboriginal organisations from across Australia.

"We wanted to gauge what has changed since 1965 and get young people in regional areas talking about race issues as it affects them" Ms Ellsmore said.

The group worked with Local Reconciliation Groups, Aboriginal organisations, Local Councils and community groups to organise a series of community events in each of the towns visited. These included barbeques, film showings and music concerts. In some of the towns visited, including Walgett, Taree and Kempsey, the group held workshops and discussion groups with large groups of senior high school students.

The 2005 Freedom Riders took eight video cameras and conducted interviews with a cross section of community members to find out how people felt race relations had changed in the past 40 years and whether Aboriginal people were getting a fair go.

There were many compelling stories of racism and the barriers faced by Aboriginal people in NSW including exclusion and differential treatment in shops and public places.

Kirsten Cheetham, a 19 year old Gamilaroi woman studying at Sydney University, said that lack of access to employment and housing and a resistance from the non-Aboriginal community in many areas to recognise the rights of the local Aboriginal community and the truth of the local area's history were some of the problems local Aboriginal people said existed.

"But there were also many sources of inspiration and examples of Aboriginal people and organisations who were working to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people and succeeding in the fight against racism at the grassroots level.

Kirsten said that in many of the communities they visited they were embraced by many non-Aboriginal people.

"In Wellington we were welcomed by the Mayor and Aboriginal leaders and in Moree we were also greeted by the Mayor with the council opening the local pool to the Freedom Riders and local Aboriginal children for free.

At the completion of the trip the Freedom Riders met with the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs Dr Andrew Refshauge, to present their findings, reporting that while much had changed since the original ride, much remains to be done.

During the meeting with Dr Refshauge the riders presented some of the footage collected and a summary of the key issues raised by communities. They outlined their plans for a range of projects and campaigns arising from the ride. Several individual complaints about discrimination are being followed up and funding is being sought to develop the material collected into an educational resource which can be used by schools and the community. A documentary is being produced about the ride which will be shown later this year.

The Freedom Ride 2005 visited over 13 communities. The bus left from the University of Sydney on Saturday 12th February then travelled through Lithgow, Wellington, Dubbo (12th-13th), Gulargambone (14th), Walgett (14th-16th), Moree (16th-18th), Boggabilla, Toomelah and Goondawind(18th), Inverell, Tingha and the Myall Creek Memorial (18th-20th), Lismore (20th-22nd), Yamba, Grafton, Bowraville (22nd), Kempsey (22nd-24th), Taree and Purfleet (24th-25th) and Newcastle (25th). The bus returned to Redfern on Saturday 26th February.