Where was the Tent Embassy established in 1972?

• A. Canberra
• B. Sydney
• C. Melbourne
• D. Brisbane

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is the power of choosing a symbolic, political location. The Tent Embassy was set up in Canberra, on the lawns outside Parliament House, in 1972. Placing a protest directly at the national seat of government made the demand for Indigenous land rights highly visible to national leaders and the public, turning a temporary encampment into a lasting symbol of activism. The other cities are important urban centers, but they don’t sit in front of the federal Parliament, so they wouldn’t carry the same political weight for a national demand. This act helped foreground Indigenous rights in Australian politics and became an enduring image of protest.