The legal classification of race in Australia

Abstract

An examination of legislation of the Commonwealth and the several States reveals a dicho tomy based on 'blood' by which those having Aboriginal or other 'coloured' blood or strains of blood were singled out for special legislative treatment. Aborigines and 'half-castes', in particular, were subject to increasing refinement as legislative subjects in the several juris dictions. A bewildering array of legal definitions led to inconsistent legal treatment and arbi trary, unpredictable, and capricious administrative treatment.