WA stolen generations members to receive $85,000 each under redress scheme

West Australians who were members of the stolen generations will receive $85,000 each under a redress scheme to take effect by the end of the month.

Stolen generations redress schemes were recommended in the 1997 Bringing Them Home report and all states and territories, and Western Australia and Queensland were the only ones not to announce schemes.

Cook said the scheme would be designed to fast-track payments to elderly members.Credit: Hamish Hastie

WA’s scheme is less than Victoria’s $100,000 lump sum payment but more than the $75,000 offered in New South Wales and $30,000 in South Australia.

Stolen generations refers to the thousands of Aboriginal children taken from their parents across the country until 1972, which caused significant disadvantage and intergenerational trauma among Aboriginal families.

WA Premier Roger Cook announced the redress scheme at a Reconciliation breakfast on Tuesday to a lengthy applause.

“Decade after shameful decade in Western Australia, right up until 1972, children were taken from mothers and sent to missions,” Cook said.

“More than a third of Aboriginal kids born in WA before 1972 were forcibly removed from their parents, their land, their home.

“They were left with unanswered questions about their fate, their identity, their culture, their family, their connection to country, and the biggest question of all to the government responsible is, ‘why?’

“Why did they do this? Why do they believe that there’s not a place on earth for people who look different to them?

“To the survivors. I know these questions have eaten away at their soul, and it will eat away at the soul of this state if we carry on any further without some form of reparation.”

Cook conceded the money would not make up for the problems the stolen generations faced.

Cook at the announcement. Credit: Hamish Hastie

“I also want to be clear on this point: no amount of money, no amount of money, could ever make up for the experience of stolen generations members and their families and the ongoing impact [on their] lives,” he said.

Stolen generations members, many of whom are elderly now, have been calling for a reparation scheme for decades.

Last week, Healing Foundation chairman Steve Larkin called on WA and Queensland to prioritise redress schemes.

“Many survivors have already passed away, without seeing justice for themselves or their families,” he said.

“Even the youngest survivors are ageing now, with most eligible for aged care. Yet they are facing a system that can re-trigger the trauma of being placed in an institution as a child.

“The organisations which tirelessly support survivors are severely underfunded and struggle to retain talented and dedicated staff due to insufficient and uncertain funding.”

Cook said the scheme would be designed to fast-track payments to elderly members.

Cook also said the government would help fund Aboriginal organisations offering counselling services and commit to improving truth-telling about the Stolen Generations period and the survivors’ stories.

Bring them Home executive director and Stolen Generation survivor Jim Morrison welcomed the scheme.

“Fifty-seven per cent or more of our population are stolen and/or descendants, therefore, the government need to support us in making sure healing happens, and healing has got to happen if there’s truth telling,” he said.

“We can’t have this reconciliation unless we have truth, justice and healing. So thank you, Premier. It’s a long time coming. I can’t call you Roger the Dodger anymore.”

Attorney-General Tony Buti defended the level of payments when compared to Victoria’s payments and said it was a symbolic gesture but with the other commitments to counselling and truth telling WA’s redress would be the most generous in the country.

The scheme will be open to registrations later this year with payments expected before the end of the year.

For more information visit: wa.gov.au/stolen-generations-redress-scheme.

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