Australian Human Rights Commission
Australia and the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial
Discrimination (ICERD), Shadow report to the CERD Committee – 8 July 2010
services within their homelands and having to move into larger cluster
communities to access these services.
Recommendation 24: That the Australian and Northern Territory governments
commit to supporting homelands through:
•
reviewing, developing and implementing homeland policies with the active
participation of representative leaders from homeland communities
•
providing funding and support for homeland communities in all states and
territories through the COAG National Indigenous Reform Agreement and
associated National Partnership Agreements. 66
6.14
Stolen Generations (ICERD Article 6 and Declaration Article
8)
69.
The Bringing them home report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families (1997)
document the experiences of the Stolen Generations, who were forcibly
removed from their families under the guise of welfare and makes
recommendations for reparation. 67
70.
Aside from the National Apology and the establishment of the Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation, many of the other
recommendations for reparation remain largely outstanding, including the
establishment of compensation payment schemes for the Stolen Generations
and their families. The only compensation scheme established for the Stolen
Generations to date has been in Tasmania.
Recommendation 25: That the Commonwealth, through the Councils of
Australian Governments, engage with State and Territory governments to
develop a consistent approach with joint funding mechanisms in the provision
of financial redress for the Stolen Generations.
6.15
Stolen Wages (ICERD Article 6 and Declaration Article 8)
71.
Schemes have been established in Queensland and New South Wales to
compensate Indigenous peoples for the withholding, non-payment and
underpayment of wages under the control of government. Such schemes
have not been established in other states or territories.
72.
In December 2006 the Senate Standing Committee on Legal and
Constitutional Affairs recommended that governments provide unhindered
access to archives for the purposes of researching the stolen wages issue as
a matter of urgency. They also recommended that funding be made available
for education and awareness in Indigenous communities, as well as for
preliminary legal research, into stolen wages issues. 68 These
recommendations have not been adopted or implemented.
22