Since legislation for Indigenous people was a state matter, each state found its own definition for 'Aboriginal'. Examples: Western Australia: a person with more than a quarter of Aboriginal blood. Victoria: any person of Aboriginal descent.
Confirmation of heritage requires you to provide a registered Indigenous community organisation with sufficient evidence of your heritage that their committee can review in order to issue you with a letter of confirmation stamped with their common seal.
But for Australian Aboriginal people, or those searching their family tree, a DNA test will not necessarily give you confirmation of an indigenous Australian heritage. There's three types of different tests available, but they're not going to yield exact results for very different reasons.
“Do you wish to self‑identify as an Aboriginal person in Canada such as First Nation, Métis or Inuit?” Any client may self‑identify as being an Aboriginal person, regardless of legal status under the Indian Act. No proof of ancestry or belonging to a band is necessary.
Letter from an Indigenous organisation or Community Elder
We prefer a letter from an Indigenous organisation to confirm your heritage. However, we will also accept a letter from a Community Elder. Use the Confirmation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent letter to confirm your heritage.
The Australian Government defines Indigenous Australians as people who: are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent; identify as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander origin; and are accepted as such in the communities in which they live or have lived.
The test has three elements, all of which must be proved by the person claiming to be Aboriginal: the person must identify as Aboriginal, the Aboriginal community must recognise the person as Aboriginal, and the person is Aboriginal by way of descent.
The Bureau of Indian Affairs uses a blood quantum definition—generally one-fourth Native American blood—and/or tribal membership to recognize an individual as Native American. However, each tribe has its own set of requirements—generally including a blood quantum—for membership (enrollment) of individuals.
Indigenous Peoples are distinct social and cultural groups that share collective ancestral ties to the lands and natural resources where they live, occupy or from which they have been displaced.
For Indigenous Australians, Age Pension: 53%, Total: 53%, JobSeeker Payment: 28%, Youth Allowance (other): 20%, Disability Support Pension: 10%, Youth Allowance (student and apprentice): 1%, Parenting Payment (single): 8%, Carer Payment: 3%, Parenting Payment (partnered): 2%, ABSTUDY (Living Allowance): 2%.
After 3–4 generations you should have original generation dead. You would then be indigenous.
Who Should You Contact to Find Out if You're of Aboriginal Descent? You'll need to contact an incorporated Indigenous organisation where your relatives are from–someone in the community may remember or know your family. An incorporated Indigenous organisation where you live might also give you a letter of confirmation.
The New South Wales Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme provides ex-gratia payments of $75,000 to living Stolen Generations survivors who were removed from their families and committed to the care of the New South Wales Aborigines Protection or Welfare Boards.
There are some amounts don't need to be include as income in your tax return. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and Indigenous holding entities don't need to pay income tax or capital gains tax on native title payments or benefits.
By remoteness, the 2021 median gross weekly equivalised household income for Indigenous adults ranged from $982 in Major cities to $459 in Very remote areas (Table D2. 08.12, Figure 2.08. 5).
If you receive the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander region in your DNA results, this tells you that you probably had an ancestor who was an Indigenous Australian. If you are Indigenous Australian and do not receive this region in your DNA results, this should not subtract from your identity in any way.
Financial help. Aboriginal students who live or work throughout NSW (or live in identified border postcodes) are eligible for subsidised training places under Smart and Skilled and a full fee exemption. You could also qualify for a scholarship, or financial help with travel, accommodation and meals.
An Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander is a person of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent who identifies as an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander and is accepted as such by the community in which he (she) lives.
Not even AncestryDNA, which has amassed more than 10 million samples, has enough to offer a “direct estimate of Aboriginal Australian ethnicity”. This means Aboriginal ancestors can only be reliably detected through direct maternal or paternal lines (using mitochondrial and Y-chromosome tests).
This allows us to better understand how health issues for Indigenous Australians might be the same as, or different to, other Australians. The best way to get this information right is for us to ask you the standard Indigenous status question and let you answer for yourself.
Knowing your family history is the key to obtaining Confirmation of your heritage. To establish that you are of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander descent, you must provide a Family Lineage Chart (e.g. a family tree) on the approved form.
About the Birth Certificate Program
The Pathfinders National Aboriginal Birth Certificate Program is making it easier for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to apply for and receive their birth certificate.