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Google has honoured the late Eddie Mabo on his 80th birthday. Picture: Google
TODAY, on what would’ve been his 80th birthday, Google has paid respect to Edward Koiki Mabo.
The late Aboriginal lands right activist has been honoured with a Google Doodle, which redirects to a search that details his life and achievements.
Born on June 29, 1936, Mabo was a Meriam man from the Murray Islands in the Torres Straits.
Mabo helped shape the indigenous land rights movement within Australia.
In 1982 Mabo, along with four other Meriam people, submitted a Native Title claim in the High Court.
After an extensive 10-year court case the High Court ruled in their favour. This was the first time native title in Australia had been recognised.
As a result, the Meriam people were granted primary possession and use of the Murray Islands.
The Mabo decision proved to be a cornerstone of Eddie Mabo’s legacy. Picture: News LimitedSource:News Limited
Eddie Mabo at Brisbane Supreme Court for the start of his historic, and ultimately successful, land rights trial. Picture: News LimitedSource:News Limited
Sadly, Mabo never got the chance to hear the decision read, as he died a few months before the ruling — at the age of 55.
Following the decision, Paul Keating’s Labor government passed the Native Title Act 1993 in an effort to establish a framework for other claims.
The landmark Mabo decision proved to be a cornerstone of Eddie Mabo’s legacy and paved the way for native title cases that followed.