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| Investigators to report on national stolen wages case By Chris Graham 22 January 2003 - A national team of investigators have commenced work on a report into the lost and stolen wages and savings issue. But the probe will go much further than the Queensland border, with the team setting its sights on determining whether Governments controlled and then lost or stole Indigenous money in all states and territories. The proposed report is the answer to a recent call by retired Federal Court judge Justice Marcus Einfeld for a national inquiry into the issue (National Indigenous Times, December 5, 2002). The Beattie Labor Government last year made a $55 million compensation offer to Indigenous Queenslanders for an estimated $500 million in wages and personal savings that were lost or stolen by successive Queensland Governments from 1900 until 1972. But most other state and territory Governments, anecdotally at least, also controlled Indigenous wages in some form. Western Australia is believed to be in a similar position legally to Queensland, while New South Wales is currently investigating the issue. Victoria appears to be in a similar position to New South Wales. In South Australia, there has been no talk of claims but Government records show there was control of Indigenous wages. Any claims against the Northern Territory and the ACT would have to be directed to the Federal Government while Tasmania's situation currently appears unclear. The team of investigators plans to compile a report on the status of each state and territory which will be used as the evidential basis of the independent inquiry and presented to the Federal Government to answer. Helen Burrows, a human rights lawyer, is the leader of the national investigation team. Ms Burrows yesterday called on Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to provide evidence - either anecdotal or otherwise - to the report. "The lost and stolen wages issue is not just confined to Queensland," Ms Burrows said. "There are strong indications suggesting that Indigenous people, in most states and territories, had their monies controlled by Government in some form. "We are interested in hearing from people who have information about Government control of Indigenous money, whether it was wages, trust accounts or personal savings. "If that information comes in the form of documentary evidence, it will greatly assist the investigating team. "However, we are also interested in anecdotal evidence from Indigenous people who believe their Government controlled their finances and still owes them money, which they never received." Late last year, Justice Einfeld said the issue was of equal significance to the Stolen Children tragedy. "This matter is of national significance - just like the Stolen Children tragedy of which it is a part," he said. "Despite the fact that similar processes were systematic across the country, claims along the lines of the Queensland experience do not appear to have been received anywhere else in Australia. "This however is hardly surprising given that little or no investigation into these systems has ever taken place. "In order to ensure that the message and substance of reconciliation is open, honest and fair for those who have lost, and continue to lose so much through sustained racial discrimination, this debacle must be met with the intervention of an independent inquiry to get to the root of the matter. People interested in making a submission to the report should contact Helen Burrows on 02 4392 9947 or you can email Ms Burrows at stolenwages.nitimes@bigpond.com Source:National Indigenous Times
Stolen wage report looks to improve Indigenous compo 21 February, 2003 - The head of a new national investigation into Indigenous stolen wages is hoping the final report will lead to a more appropriate compensation package to Indigenous Queenslanders. The Queensland Government has offered between $2,000-$4,000 in compensation to each Indigenous worker who had money taken under a previous government policy. But the head of the report, Helen Burrows, says the problem is not unique to Queensland. She says the two-year investigation will probe whether all state and territory governments controlled then lost or stole Indigenous money. "We're hoping to achieve some justice for the people who had their wages and savings stolen for almost a century," she said. "In Queensland, we're hoping that the offer of compensation will be more in line with the amount that was actually taken from them and hopefully this will stimulate support for the same thing around Australia." Source:ABC NEWS ONLINE What can I do? See addresses to write to ››
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|  Support the Stolen Wages campaign. From 1904 to 1987, the Queensland Government withheld or underpaid wages earned by Aboriginal workers; a fraction has been offered as a settlement. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. ›› Latest
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