How did British colonization affect Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples?

British colonization, which began in 1788, had a devastating impact on Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples, fundamentally altering their lives through dispossession, violence, and systemic control.12

The arrival of British settlers led to the appropriation of land, which conflicted directly with Indigenous land tenure and economic activities, often resulting in the desecration of sacred sites. Indigenous peoples were frequently pushed into marginal areas or forced into poverty on the fringes of colonial settlements. Beyond direct conflict and "pacification by force," which claimed many lives, introduced diseases caused a catastrophic decline in the Indigenous population.12

A central feature of this colonial impact was the policy of forced assimilation, which included the removal of children from their families—a group now known as the Stolen Generations. These children were placed in institutions or foster care, where they were often forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their customs. This policy caused immense cultural disruption, severed ties to traditional lands, and resulted in widespread trauma and abuse. While the Australian government formally apologized in 2008, the legacy of these policies continues to affect Indigenous communities today.32