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Queensland government rejects 1 in 4 stolen wages claims

By Duncan Macfarlane

3 September 2003 - One in four Aborigines who applied for compensation under Queensland's "stolen wages" scheme has been knocked back by the state Government.

The high rejection rate for the $55 million reparations scheme has concerned Aboriginal lawyers, who want the rules relaxed.

So far, 1220 compensation claims have been assessed, of which 331 have been rejected.

In May last year, the Beattie Government offered to pay reparations to thousands of Aborigines who had their wages docked under past government policies.

Aborigines born in 1956 or earlier, who worked for the government or under contracts witnessed by a government officer, were deemed eligible for a payment of between $2000 and $4000.

Also eligible were Aborigines whose wages and savings were controlled under the Protection Acts.

But Aboriginal representatives said yesterday some people were being refused payments under the scheme because lost or destroyed records meant they could not prove their status.

"Some of the records are missing," Aboriginal legal aid solicitor John Robinson said. "We'll be writing to the Government asking it to accept statutory declarations instead."

A spokeswoman for Aboriginal Policy Minister Judy Spence said the minister would consider the proposal.

"We're not trying to make people ineligible but we just need some evidence," the spokeswoman said. "The Government has embarked on this in good faith in the spirit of reconciliation. The last thing we would be doing is to not help people."

Cunnamulla resident Gayle Spaul, 61, is one of those whose claim has been rejected. Ms Spaul worked for a pittance as a maid on Queensland properties in the 1950s, and believed she should receive compensation.

"A lot of the people around here are really disappointed they were rejected because they can't prove their claims," she said.

The Government estimates more than 20,000 people are eligible to apply, but has so far received only 4739 applications.

Payouts worth nearly $800,000 have been made.

Source: The Australian

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