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Qld Govt in 'stolen wages' talks

18 June 2004 - A Queensland "stolen wages" advocacy group has met state Indigenous Affairs Minister Liddy Clark.

Last weekend, state Labor Party members unanimously passed a resolution to reconsider compensation for wages stolen from Indigenous workers.

Tiga Bayles from the Queensland Stolen Wages Executive says it is the first time in two years the State Government has agreed to talk about the issue.

Mr Bayles says discussions with the Minister were promising.

"She has stated that she is keen to take up some discussion in communities," he said.

"She's keen to hear what Aboriginal people have to say. She's keen to see closure on the stolen wages issue.

"This is seen as a positive step and major step. Like I say, it's over two years that we've been trying to get to this stage and now we have dialogue with the Minister and it will be ongoing dialogue from here on in."

Source: ABC

Doors open for closure on stolen wages

Stolen Wages Campaign Working Group
Media Release

18 June 2004 - Members of the Stolen Wages Working Group who met with Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Policy Minister Liddy Clark yesterday are feeling positive about a renewed commitment to finding closure for people affected by the stolen wages issue.

Working Group members, including elder Aunty Ruth Hegarty, 4AAA Manager Tiga Bayles and QUT lecturer Victor Hart, said the door was now open and dialogue with the Minister had begun.

Mr Bayles said the Minister was keen for discussion with the wider Aboriginal community about how they could find closure on the issue after the Queensland Labor Party passed a resolution supporting further consultation last weekend.

This is a very positive step in the right direction and the message we have is that the door is definitely open," he said.

The Minister has made it clear she wants Aboriginal people to feel okay about this process and she wants to talk to people about what their issues are.

It's taken just over two years to get to the table on this and as the news of this gets out it will go a long way towards restoring confidence," he said.

Source: Stolen Wages Campaign Working Group

Qld to re-open stolen wages negotiations

June 15, 2004 - Queensland's stolen wages advocacy group will meet with Indigenous Affairs minister Liddy Clark this week to re-open negotiations over compensation.

Over the weekend State Labor Party members unanimously passed a resolution to reconsider the issue.

Queensland Stolen Wages Executive spokesman Tiga Bayles says the meeting with the minister is a chance for genuine negotiation.

"I think there is growing support out there but it's going nowhere at the moment," he said.

"I think Liddy Clark is a totally different person to Judy Spence. She's prepared to sit down and talk with us.

"We're hoping that we will be able to get to agree to undertake a consultative exercise so that Indigenous people throughout Queensland have an opportunity to sit down and put their views forward because we are not happy with the way it was done initially."

Source: ABC

Further information: stolen wages issues page - includes news index and external links

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