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Unions fight for payouts

by Margaret Wenham & David Potter

11 November 2002 - The union movement has thrown its weight behind indigenous organisations fighting the Beattie Government over its $55.4 million offer to settle the stolen wages.

This coincides with the Human Rights & Equal Opportunity social justice commissioner scathingly accusing the Government of conducting a flawed consultation process, seeking "sneaky" legal indemnity waivers and offering "insultingly low" payouts.

Dr William Jonas said he understood a Cabinet decision was imminent and he called on the State Government to delay further action pending negotiations with indigenous groups.

Yesterday Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Grace Grace confirmed she had met a coalition of indigenous organisations to discuss action, including her leading a joint delegation of indigenous and QCU representatives to meet Premier Peter Beattie and Aboriginal & Torres Strait Policy Minister Judy Spence.

The coalition includes the Aboriginal Coordinating Council, the Foundation for Aboriginal & Islander Research Action and the Brisbane-based Grassroots Murri Action Group.

Ms Grace said the "wages issue" (government-seized Aboriginal wages and savings from the 1890s to 1972) warranted union expertise.

A spokesman for Mr Beattie said the QCU had not yet been in contact and "obviously the Premier will deal with (the matter) when we receive the letter or the telephone call".

Dr Jonas said there was "no justification for how the figure of $55.4 million came to replace the previously estimated $180 million".

Source: The Courier-Mail

Unions join fight for Aboriginal wages compensation

November 14, 2002 - TRANSCRIPT:

JOHN HIGHFIELD: The long-running battle to recover stolen wages for Queensland Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders is continuing, this time with support of the Queensland Council of Unions.

Union and Aboriginal community leaders are meeting the Queensland Aboriginal Policy minister Judy Spence later today to discuss the Government's compensation offer of up to $4,000 per person.

The Beattie Government has been criticised for the offer, with the Aboriginal Social Justice Commissioner, Bill Jonas, Dr Bill Jonas, describing it as "insultingly low". The wages were stolen from people up to 1972.

From Brisbane, Peter McCutcheon reports.

PETER McCUTCHEON: The Beattie Government's $55.6 million compensation package was first announced in May, and the Premier made it clear that under no circumstances would the amount be increased. Since then, however, many indigenous groups have been trying to get the Premier to the negotiating table arguing compensation of up to $4,000 per person was measly.

For the first time today, the union movement is becoming involved, with the General Secretary of the Queensland Council of Unions, Grace Grace, attending today's meeting with Aboriginal policy minister, Judy Spence.

GRACE GRACE: There's been a number of delegations that have come to see the Queensland Council of Unions, and they also have requested assistance in going forward and we're more than happy to offer that assistance to interested indigenous people.

PETER McCUTCHEON: Do you think the Government's offer of two to four thousand dollars is adequate?

GRACE GRACE: I think that's yet to be determined on how apt that amount of money is to compensate for wages not paid. I guess one of the reasons we want to meet with the Government is to talk about the process on maybe how those amounts have come about and really if those amounts are deemed inappropriate, then within the context of the budget that they've sent, set, you know the $55 plus million whatever the amount is, is how can we work around that amount of money to give what indigenous people may view as a more fair and reasonable officer.

PETER McCUTCHEON: Grace Grace. Earlier this week Mr Beattie said the matter had dragged on for years and he made it clear he wanted to bring it to a close as soon as possible.

PETER BEATTIE: This is a very generous offer. This is $55.6 million. This is taxpayers' money and it's money that came from indigenous people.

PETER McCUTCHEON: Peter Beattie. Nevertheless, Ettie Gleeson, who worked as a domestic hand on properties in the Southern Downs during the 1960¹s, is not impressed.

ETTIE GLEESON: When you die, Mr Beattie, you can pass it on to your children. What we got to pass on to ours? Nothing but a heartache and sad memory.

PETER McCUTCHEON: Mr Beattie, though, said he wanted to make some sort of gesture of apology to Aboriginal people. How did you feel when you first heard the news of the two and four thousand offer?

ETTIE GLEESON: Well if you want me to tell you straight, you can use it as a toilet paper.

PETER McCUTCHEON: Ettie Gleeson. Ninety-year-old Colin Wagg, who worked on cattle stations in western Queensland and now lives in Rockhampton, is not impressed by the Government's argument that indigenous people should accept the offer before many of the older people pass away.

COLIN WAGG: [laughs] It's very measly far as I'm concerned. Yes. It's nothing at all really. Yeah.

PETER McCUTCHEON: Peter Beattie says though it is at least a gesture of reconciliation. Do you see it as that?

COLIN WAGG: Oh, no, no. Not at all. No I don't see that. Yeah. It's, it's really rubbish. Yeah. That's for sure. Oh, yes, and everyone I know too, my relations, they're the same.

JOHN HIGHFIELD: Colin Wagg was an Aboriginal stockman in his working days, and Peter McCutcheon was speaking to him in Brisbane.

Transcript created by an independent transcription service. The ABC does not warrant the accuracy of the transcripts. ABC Online users are advised to listen to the audio provided on this page to verify the accuracy of the transcripts.

Source: The World Today, ABC Radio National

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Further information:

• Beattie stolen wages offer perpetuates injustice
  22 November 2002 - ANTaR ~ Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation - The Queensland Government's decision to press ahead with its grossly unfair stolen wages offer is regrettable and will only serve to perpetuate injustice against Indigenous people, Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) said today.
• Queensland Government Reparations Offer: Wages and Savings
  20 November 2002 - Dept of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy - In the spirit of reconciliation, the Queensland Government has made an offer to people whose lives were affected by past Government policies which resulted in controls being exercised over the wages and savings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• Historic Reparation Offer To Indigenous Queenslanders To Proceed
  20 November 2002 - Premier & Trade: The Hon. Peter Beattie MP - The Beattie Government's historic offer of reparation to Indigenous Queenslanders who had their wages and savings controlled by former Queensland governments has been approved by State Cabinet and will now proceed.
• Aboriginal community rejects wages compo offer
  May 24 - Aboriginal communities were unlikely to accept the Queensland government's compensation offer for wages and savings withheld by previous state policies, an indigenous leader said today.

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