key indigenous australian issues
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Doris Pilkington Garimara reading from her book 'Follow the rabbit proof fence' University College London 2002 |
Helen Moran co-chair NSDC walking the talk with ANTaR's SoH Sydney 2007 |
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Sorry Day London 2007
photo courtesy Catherine Dubois
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Between 1910 and 1970 up to 100,000 Aboriginal children were taken forcibly or under duress from their families by police or welfare officers.
Most were under 5 years old. There was rarely any judicial process. To be Aboriginal was enough. They are known as the Stolen Generations.
They were taken because it was Federal and State Government policy that Aboriginal children - especially those of mixed Aboriginal and European descent - should be removed from their parents.
Between 10 and 30% of all Aboriginal children were removed, and in some places these policies continued into the 1970s.
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10th anniversary of the Bringing them home report march in Sydney 2007 photo courtesy Katrina Mathieson |
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'Sorry Book' launched in UK outside Australia House 1998 |
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A National Inquiry was set up in 1995. Its 1997 Report Bringing them Home contained harrowing evidence.
It found that forcible removal of indigenous children was a gross violation of human rights which continued well after Australia had undertaken international human rights commitments.
The Report made 54 recommendations, including opening of records, family tracing and reunion services and the need for reparations (including acknowledgement and apology by Governments and institutions concerned, restitution, rehabilitation and compensation).
A Senate committee has investigated the Governments response to the Report.
The previous Liberal/National Coalition Government increased some funding but has refused to apologise or offer compensation. Australia elected a new Government on 24th November 2007 - it's policy is to make a formal apology to the Stolen generations.
The Government has stated there will be no compensation fund.
People of the Stolen Generation have started legal actions for compensation against the Government .
The cases have been hard fought, as Government lawyers are arguing that removal of children was done for their own good.
In 2007 - in a landmark case in the State Supreme Court of South Australia Bruce Trevorrow became the first member of Australia's "stolen generation" of Aboriginal people to win compensation.
A statement by the former Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Herron which denied existance of the stolen generations caused distress and anger among those affected. Denial has marked much of the commentary.
'Moving forward: achieving reparations' is a project conducted in partnership with ATSIC, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, the National Sorry Day Committee and Northern Territory stolen generation groups.
It's report 'Restoring identity', proposing a reparations tribunal for the stolen generations, has widespread support by Indigenous people.
Ministers for Aboriginal Affairs in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia issued public statements welcoming the report and detailing their initiatives to implement the recommendations.
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Apology to the Stolen Generations from Australia's PM Kevin Rudd photo courtesy Katrina Mathieson/eniar |
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On 13 February Kevin Rudd Prime Minister made the first item of Australia's new government an official apology to the Stolen Generations. The apology received bipartisan support.
"The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country.
For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry.
To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry.
And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry."Extract - Apology to Australia's Indigenous Peoples 13 February 2008
download full speech as a pdf
21 February 2008 - EDM 1000 tabled in the British parliament
Begins
Indigenous Australians
That this House recalls Great Britain's role in the colonisation, settlement and early governance of Australia; acknowledges Great Britain's responsibility for the suffering and degradation inflicted on indigenous Australians including the removal of indigenous human remains and material culture; supports the Prime Minister of Australia, Kevin Rudd, in his apology to the stolen generations and other indigenous Australians for the pain, loss, deprivation and abuse they have suffered; recognises the continuing strength and vitality of the indigenous peoples of Australia and their culture; supports the Australian government's commitment to recognising the special status of Australia's indigenous peoples and tackling the inequalities still facing indigenous Australians.
related links:
Bringing them Home
palm island
an aboriginal man dies in custody
gone for a song
by journalist
jeff waters explores the issues surounding the suspicious death in custody, the botched police investigations and the secret evidence which still remains suppressed by the coroner's court
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