'You're more likely to make friends by saying "Aboriginal person", "Aboriginal" or "Torres Strait Islander". And if you are talking about both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, it's best to say either "Indigenous Australians" or "Indigenous people".' 'The use of Aboriginal as an adjective, forming noun phrases such as Aboriginal people, Aboriginal woman, Aboriginal Australian etc is preferred by many. The Aboriginal Advisory Group from Community Legal Centres NSW suggests using 'Aboriginal people' or 'Aboriginal person' which it says are both 'more positive and empowering'. 'There are plenty of people out there with some Aboriginal ancestry who are indistinguishable from white fellas but they insist on being called an "Aboriginal person",' he has written.

Source: Daily Mail January 26, 2026 00:00 UTC