Key terms & concepts

The assimilatation policy was established in the early 20th century in order to ensure that Aborigines and part-Aborigines would attain the same manner of living as other Australians. A. O. Neville , the Chief Protector of Aborigines for Western Australia, believed in biological absorption in order to protect [aboriginas] against themselves whether they like it or not. This idea was portrayed in Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002) by Phillip Noyce .