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Compensate Stolen Generation - Fraser

26 April 2007 - Former prime minister Malcolm Fraser has called on the Federal Government to pay compensation to members of the Stolen Generation.

Mr Fraser's appeal came as he joined Aboriginal leader Lowitja O'Donoghue in painting a bleak picture of indigenous affairs one month out from the 10th anniversary of the Bringing Them Home report on the Stolen Generations.

The former Liberal prime minister compared Australia's treatment of its stolen generations with Canada, which has recently announced compensation for indigenous people removed from their families.

"If there are going to be resources of the sort Canada has employed, and believed to be necessary and believed to be justified, you can't say it's just the states' responsibility," Mr Fraser said.

"It's Australia's responsibility. When they want to do something the Federal Government seems to find ... large sums of money.

"They're mostly spending money where they think there are going to be large numbers of votes.
"There aren't large numbers of votes on this issue. People ought to act because it is needed and it is necessary and it is right."

Mr Fraser attacked both sides of politics for pushing Aboriginal issues off the agenda, saying federal policy on indigenous affairs was "going backwards".

Following the abolition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC), Australia was the only western democracy with an indigenous minority that had no representative voice, he said.
"To have no elected representation is really saying to an important indigenous minority: 'Well, we know what's best for you'."

Mr Fraser said there were fewer indigenous people studying at university and inadequate spending on Aboriginal health.

Professor O'Donohue criticised both the Labor and Liberal parties for doing little on Aboriginal issues and said most of the recommendations of the Bringing Them Home report had never been implemented.
"This is the absolute worst time in Aboriginal affairs history from my point of view," Prof O'Donohue said.

Source: The Daily Telegraph

related links:

• Bringing them Home
  Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families.
• The 'Stolen Generation' - Finding A Fiduciary Duty (E Law)
• `Stolen Children Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs')
• Bringing Them Home Oral History Project (National Library of Australia)
  In December 1997, in response to the first recommendation of Bringing Them Home: Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families, the Commonwealth Government announced the National Library would be funded to develop and manage a new oral history project. The oral history project will collect and preserve the stories of Indigenous people and others, such as missionaries, police and administrators involved in or affected by the process of child removals.

Further information: Stolen Generations - issues page - includes news index and external links