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G4EBT > STOLEN 04.12.07 16:43l 90 Lines 3481 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : D97244G4EBT
Read: GUEST DG1VV
Subj: HREOC's Press Release
Path: DB0FHN<DB0MRW<DK0WUE<GB7FCR
Sent: 071204/1431Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:53483 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:D97244G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : STOLEN@WW
Response to the landmark case of Bruce Trevorrow by the Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Tom Calma:
Quote:
Tom Calma has warmly congratulated Bruce Trevorrow on being the first
person from the Stolen Generations to secure compensation after a long
hard struggle through the courts.
"Mr Trevorrow's win in South Australia represents a watershed moment for
all members of the Stolen Generation. It sends a powerful message to
others states and territories that compensation is rightfully owed to the
victims of these policies which were in place across Australia for most of
the 20th century, and impacted badly on generations of Indigenous
Australians" Mr Calma said.
"The significant size of Mr Trevorrow's compensation appropriately
recognises the seriousness of the harm and suffering these removal
policies caused - no matter how well intentioned they may have been.
"The fact that Mr Trevorrow was the only child to be removed from his
family allows us to make the stark comparison between his tragic life
history of lost identity and opportunity, with that of his siblings.
It is also a poignant reminder of the arbitrary way in which governments
implemented their child removal policies.ö
Last year Commissioner Calma congratulated Tasmania for being the first
jurisdiction in Australia to legislate to provide compensation to the
Stolen Generations and their families. It legislated to create a $5
million fund to provide payments to eligible members of the Stolen
Generations and their children.
"The Tasmanian Government's actions put out the challenge to other
governments across the country to follow suit - to deal with this aspect
of Australia's unfinished business in a fair and just manner", Mr Calma
said.
HREOC's 1997 Bringing Them Home Report found that the forcible removal
of Indigenous children was a gross violation of their human rights. It
recommended that a national compensation fund be established so people
would not have to go to the courts to be compensated for the wrongs done
to them.
In this, the 10th anniversary year of the release of the Report, HREOC
reiterates its call for reparations and compensation to the Stolen
Generations and their families.
I would urge the Ministerial Council for Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Affairs (MCATSIA) to continue its work monitoring and reporting
on the implementation of the Report’s recommendations and to collegiately
establish a national reparations and compensation scheme,ö Mr Calma said.
"Australian governments have cherry-picked recommendations from the
Report, but we are still waiting for an accessible, fair and just national
compensation scheme, as well as the all-important, and long-overdue,
national apology from the Australian Parliament".
End quote.
Copyright note:
The above is the full unaltered text of Tom Calma's statement from
HREOC's website. Beyond the uses permitted under the Copyright Act,
HREOC encourages the availability, dissemination and exchange of
material it produces.
Copyright is acknowledged.
Footnote:
With regard to Tom Calma's last paragraph, there are already hopeful signs
from Kevin Rudd that the new government will take a more conciliatory
approach.
Let's hope that comes to pass.
Best wishes
David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 13:09 on 2007-Dec-04
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.70
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