Historically the belief in equality and equal citizenship has motivated actions aimed at remedying Aboriginal discrimination and disadvantage. It underlay the success of the 1967 referendum. Supporters of separate Aboriginal medical and legal services in the 1970s saw that what were supposed to be universal service providers often did not provide for Aboriginal people. There were discriminatory and cultural barriers between disadvantaged Aboriginal people and the services that were meant to provide for all.

Source: The reality that supports the recognition of the Voice – Pearls and Irritations