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Anna Bligh reopens indigenous stolen wages scheme

by Margaret Wenham

18 August 2008 - The Bligh Government has bowed to indigenous pressure and agreed to reopen the state's controversial, multimillion-dollar stolen wages scheme.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Minister Lindy Nelson-Carr said the decision would give eligible claimants another chance to apply for the payment, which has been raised to $3500 or $7000 depending on an applicant's age.

"I encourage people who were eligible for first and second round payments but chose not to apply - as well as those who weren't aware of the scheme - to now take part," she said.

New closing dates are January 2009 for Australian residents and April 2009 for eligible residents of Papua New Guinea.

Five months ago, Ms Nelson-Carr released details of what the Government intended to do with $35.8 million left over from the original $55.4 million fund allocated in 2002 to repay Aborigines whose entitlements were taken from them until the early 1980s.

Ignoring the wishes of the Stolen Wages Working Group - an advisory group that consulted with the state's Aborigines - for the balance to be paid out to eligible claimants and for the scheme to be reopened, she announced instead that only $15 million would be paid out.

This would be distributed as top-up payments to the more than 5500 people who had already received the original amounts - capped at $2000 or $4000 - and meant that claimants would receive an extra $1500 or $3000.

Ms Nelson-Carr said the balance, plus $10.8 million in the defunct Aborigines Welfare Fund, would be used to provide up to 140 scholarships annually to indigenous youngsters.

High-profile Aboriginal broadcaster Tiga Bayles - a member of the Stolen Wages Working Group - said that since March the group had lobbied Premier Anna Bligh and Ms Nelson-Carr to reopen the scheme.

"Our people were insulted by the original offer and refused to apply, but might now wish to apply for the higher amount," he said.

"The balance will still go to the indigenous education foundation, which quite a few of us are still not happy about."

Source: The Courier Mail

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