Stolen generations survivors to receive redress
Following years of campaigning, stolen generations survivors in one state will be eligible for redress for the harm caused by forced removals from family and community.
Survivors who were removed from their families in Western Australia before 1972 will be eligible for individual payments of up to $85,000 under the scheme, announced by the state government on Tuesday.
The announcement follows National Sorry Day on Monday, which marks the anniversary of the tabling of the Bringing Them Home report to parliament in 1997.
Redress for survivors was one of more than 50 recommendations in this landmark report.
Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families and communities under accepted government policies during a period spanning from the 1910s until the 1970s.
"The WA Stolen Generations Redress Scheme is a major step in the pursuit of reconciliation and healing," Premier Roger Cook said.
The government said it would also work with Aboriginal organisations to support communications, scheme roll-out and planning for additional measures to assist the healing for survivors.
Attorney-General Tony Buti said the announcement of redress is a recognition of the wrongs of the past.
"It marks a significant step in recognising members of Western Australia's stolen generations by providing reparations for surviving members," he said.
"We hope this support can contribute to healing for those impacted."
With the announcement of WA's redress scheme, Queensland remains the only jurisdiction that does not offer reparations to survivors.
WA's scheme is expected to open for registration in late 2025.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
SBS Australia
8 hours ago
- SBS Australia
SBS News in Filipino, Monday 2 June 2025
Home values have set a record, as falling interest rates send buyers piling back into the property market. The federal government is considering whether to challenge the United States at the World Trade Organisation over Donald Trump's steel and aluminum tariffs. Mourning in Sydney after an Alice Springs Aboriginal death in custody SBS Filipino 01/06/2025 06:03 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino
Sky News AU
14 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Warren Mundine calls on Labor to abandon 'nonsense' approach to Indigenous issues, focus on 'great things' rather than highlighting gap in outcomes
Warren Mundine has called on Labor to abandon its "nonsense" approach to Indigenous issues. Following the defeat of the Voice referendum in 2023, the Albanese government has received criticism for a lack of action on improving the lives of Indigenous Australians. A lack of progress in hitting health, education and other socioeconomic targets in the Closing the Gap report led to further scrutiny, as well as calls from some in the community for a return to basics approach. Despite this, Labor has maintained it remains committed to implementing the Uluru Statement from the Heart in full, adding it was focused on turning outcomes around. Speaking to Sky News Australia, though, Mr Mundine argued the government's approach would continue to fail so long as they kept seeking ways to implement the Uluru Statement instead of focusing on fundamental needs. "The No vote (against the Voice) was almost twice the size of what the Albanese government got in this election, so let's get back to the reality," he said. "The reality is none of these things will ever fix anything or the problems within Aboriginal and the rest of Australia. "We have to come up with some serious stuff and there is some great stuff that is happening out there. "Let us talk about them, let us work on those, instead of just talking about all this nonsense all the time which has been so strongly rejected, not only by the wider Australian community, but by Aboriginal people." Mr Mundine is not alone in calling for greater focus on the "great stuff" occurring in some Indigenous communities. New shadow minister for Indigenous Australians, Kerrynne Liddle, has been outspoken on the need to change perceptions about First Nations peoples. "It is disingenuous to suggest that every Aboriginal person is impoverished because that is not true. There are many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people working well and effectively in organisations," she told The Australian last week. Mr Mundine echoed that view, citing the Indigenous Business and Economic Program as he argued Labor needed to shift its focus to promoting the success of Indigenous communities. "I sat at a conference once and it talked about health problems in Aboriginals, it talked about crime in Aboriginals, it talked about unemployment in Aboriginals," he said. "I'm a very positive person. By the end of that conference, I sat there and said: 'God, I must be one of the most miserable people on the planet'. "We're not recognising the incredible success of what's happening. You look at the Indigenous Business and Economic Program. It's gone from a 6.7 million program to 8.2 billion, 40,000 jobs for, not only for Aboriginal people, 25,000 for Aboriginal people, but 20,000 other people in Australia who are working for Aboriginal businesses." Mr Mundine added the government could only change outcomes by injecting "positivity" into the conversation around Indigenous issues, warning: "If we keep talking about negative stuff, then we'll always end up with negative stuff".
West Australian
2 days ago
- West Australian
Premier Roger Cook issues fresh defence against Government's handling of proposed bare-knuckle fight in Perth
Premier Roger Cook has issued a fresh defence of his government's handling of a proposed bare-knuckle fight in Perth next month, saying it was better to have a controlled event, rather than it going underground. Mr Cook said he 'appreciated community concern' about the championship event — a spin-off of the UFC — earmarked for RAC Arena in July. But he said there was a greater risk if bare-knuckle fighting occurred in an unregulated environment. 'I appreciate community concern around bare-knuckle boxing and understand that combat sports are not for everyone, myself included,' Mr Cook said. 'While we understand there is risk to be balanced with any sports, there is an anticipated greater risk in serious harm to people who participate if it's not conducted in a controlled, permitted and regulated environment. 'Let me be clear: This is not an event the WA Government is sponsoring financially.' WA's boxing regulations were amended by former Sport Minister David Templeman in February to recognise the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship as a sanctioning body. The Combat Sports Commission has said additional conditions would be put in place — if the fight went ahead. But the Australian Medical Association WA says the event should not proceed — and if it did, it would send the wrong message to the community in the face of domestic violence and other vicious crimes committed in the community. 'The fact that the State Government has paved the way for this activity to occur in Western Australia is baffling,' AMA WA boss Dr Michael Page said. 'We are dismayed. 'What was the rationale? Did they consider this in light of family and domestic violence?' Mr Cook says Sports Minister Rita Saffioti has taken fresh advice on the proposed event from the Combat Sports Commission, which was made up of experts in the field. 'It advised bare-knuckle boxing is another emerging discipline, alongside kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts, that has started to grow here in Australia, since its following in the US and the UK,' Mr Cook said. 'The advice from the Combat Sports Commission is that it requires stringent rules and regulations so it isn't driven underground. 'With the Commission regulating this sport and events associated with it, it means there are strict rules applied and carried through such as having multiple ringside medical practitioners and a threshold to the minimum experience for participants.'
