The Aboriginals of Australia were a UNPO member between 1991 and 2012. 

Aboriginal Australians are Indigenous peoples of the Australian continent, with a history stretching back over 60,000 years. Despite this deep-rooted connection to the land they have faced centuries of colonisation, dispossession, and marginalisation since British settlement in 1788. Aboriginal communities continue to grapple with intergenerational trauma, systemic inequalities, and the loss of their cultural heritage. 

Key issues faced by the community include the ongoing struggle for land rights, recognition of sovereignty, and self determination. Aboriginal people have also called for justice in response to high rates of incarceration, deaths in custody, and the lasting impact of the Stolen Generations. Economic disadvantage, limited access to healthcare and education, and environmental degradation of sacred lands remain major concerns. 

During their time as a UNPO member, the National Committee to Defend Black Rights (NCDBR) worked to raise international awareness of these issues and advocate for the rights of Aboriginal Australians on a global stage.

Aboriginal Australians possess one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world, rooted in a deep spiritual and ancestral connection to the land. Their identity is shaped by diverse languages, customs, art forms, and kinship systems that vary across hundreds of different nations and clans across the continent.  Central to aboriginal worldviews is the concept of the Dreaming—a complex system of stories, laws, and knowledge that link people to their ancestors, lands, and the universe. 

Despite centuries of colonisation and efforts to suppress Indigenous cultures, Aboriginal peoples have maintained and revitalised their traditions through storytelling, song, dance, ceremony, and art. Language preservation remains a critical part of cultural identity, as many Indigenous languages face extinction due to historical assimilation policies and ongoing marginalisation. 

Cultural survival and self-expression are closely tied to the land, with sacred sites playing a central role in spiritual and communal life. The struggle to protect these places continues today, especially in the face of mining and development projects. Aboriginal identity is also political, reflecting a history of resistance, resilience, and the ongoing assertion of sovereignty and rights in contemporary Australia.

Aboriginal Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent, with a continuous cultural presence dating back over 60,000 years. Prior to British colonisation in 1788, hundreds of distinct Aboriginal nations thrived across the land, each with their own languages, governance systems, and a deep connection to their land. These societies maintained complex social structures and lived sustainably. 

The arrival of British settlers marked the beginning of widespread dispossession, violence, and cultural disruption. Declared terra nullius (land belonging to no one) by colonial authorities, Aboriginal people were forcibly removed from their lands without treaty or compensation. Frontier conflicts, massacres, and introduced diseases led to a dramatic population decline throughout the 19th century. 

Throughout the 20th century, policies of forced assimilation—inlcuding the removal of Aboriginal children from their families (known as the Stolen Generations)—sought to erase Indigenous identity and culture. Aboriginal Australians were denied full citizenship rights until 1967 and continued to face systematic discrimination in law, education, health, and housing. 

Despite these hardships, Aboriginal peoples have remained resilient, leading movements for land rights, legal recognition, and cultural preservation. Historic milestones such as the 1992 Mabo decision (which overturned terra nullius) and the 2008 national apology to the Stolen Generations have marked important steps, though many challenges persist in the ongoing struggle for justice and equality.