A. O. Neville | |
|---|---|
 Neville in 1936 | |
| Chief Protector of Aborigines in Western Australia | |
| In office 25 March 1915 – 1936 | |
| Preceded by | Charles Gale |
| Succeeded by | Office abolished |
| Commissioner of Native Affairs in Western Australia | |
| In office 1936–1940 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Francis Illingworth Bray |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Auber Octavius Neville November 20, 1875 Ford, Northumberland, United Kingdom |
| Died | April 18, 1954 (aged 78) Perth, Australia |
| Spouse |
Maryan Florence Low (m. 1910) |
| Children | 5 |
Auber Octavius Neville (20 November 1875 – 18 April 1954) was a British-Australian public servant who served as the Chief Protector of Aborigines and Commissioner of Native Affairs in Western Australia, a total term from 1915 to 1940 and his retirement from government.
Neville was a supporter of eugenics. He believed that Aboriginal Australians needed to be assimilated and could eventually be absorbed into the larger European population through mixed marriages. As Chief Protector and Commissioner, he helped shape Western Australia's policy towards Aboriginal Australians.[1] Since the late twentieth century, Neville has become an infamous historical figure in Australia for his role in creating the Stolen Generations and conducting a genocide of Indigenous Australians.[2] He was portrayed by Kenneth Branagh in the film Rabbit-Proof Fence (2002), which explored this period.
- ^ "Restricted Rights and Freedoms: AO Neville". ABC Education. 23 June 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2024.
- ^ "Genocide in Australia". The Australian Museum. Retrieved 25 March 2024.