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Carr fails again on wage theft

27 November 2004 - In March this year, NSW Premier Bob Carr gave his personal commitment that wages and savings stolen from Aboriginal people throughout much of the last century would be returned quickly and that those most in need would be moved to the front of the queue.

It came after NIT leaked a copy of a suppressed 2001 NSW cabinet document, which admitted the Carr government knew successive NSW administrations had held the wages and savings of workers, mothers, children and pensioners in trust, but in many cases misused or stole the money.

Eight months down the track and seven years after the government first became aware of the thefts, Bob Carr - who earns around $200,000 a year - has still not repaid one single cent.

The promised report by the Stolen Wages Reparations Panel, which was set-up in March to further investigate the government's liability and find a way to pay the money back, has still not provided its findings to government.

The report was promised by October.

A spokesperson for the government told NIT, "The matter is still being considered by government. We hope to get a government response very soon."

But while the government "hopes to respond", the state's most prominent stolen wages campaigner, Marjorie Woodrow is losing her eyesight.

She needs $4,000 to have cataracts removed from both her eyes but can't get into the public hospital system until April, 2005.

Marjorie had been hoping the NSW Premier would make good on his promise, so that she could regain her full vision more quickly.

"I can't have my eyes done for six months and they've both got cataracts in them," Marjorie said.

"If I could get this money now, I could have them done straight away.

"Day by day it's getting worse and I have other health problems as well.

"At the moment I can still see in my house and when I'm walking. But it will affect my independence."

Marjorie's son, Des Benton, told NIT his mum can no longer even read the newspaper.

"I have to read the stories to her," Des said.

Marjorie acknowledged that her campaign to have stolen wages returned had caused the NSW government a great deal of embarrassment.

But she told NIT the government could delay as long as it likes, but it would eventually have to pay her, one way or the other.

"I've promised I will fight until I drop," Marjorie said.

"After that I have seven children still alive and my grandchildren and my great grandchildren.

"I have written [the stolen wages repayments] into my will. This will be the legacy I'll leave behind, so if I don't see the money, they will."

Source: National Indigenous Times

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

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