Australian South Sea Islanders are the Australian-born descendants of predominantly Melanesian people who were brought to Queensland between 1863 and 1904 from 80 Pacific Islands, but primarily Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands.

Australian South Sea Islanders are not indigenous to this country but were brought to Australia as a source of cheap labour for Queensland’s primary industries.

Australian South Sea Islander elder, Don Fewquandie, described the history and present of his Community in this speech; Don Fewquandie Speech 104.84 Kb

The Australian South Sea Islander Community was recognised as a unique minority group in 1994 following a report by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission.

On September 7 2000, then Premier Peter Beattie presented in the Queensland Legislative Assembly a formal Recognition Statement of the Australian South Sea Islander Community. Image of signing of recognition statement and link to recognition statement page here. For the full text, Click Here.