The Stolen Generation ā€“ Compensation Ruling. . .?

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molly

My mother-in-law who is part of the stolen generation summed it up quite well when I asked her about it one day she said money will not compensate for growing up without a mother,father siblings and grandparents and being sent to a mission to learn how to cook and clean because I was told all I was good for was to be a white persons maid.

Ironically she was in the same place as many English immigrant children but they did learn to read and write(she didn't) also they were allowed in fact encouraged to learn their culture but all the aboriginal children were up before dawn to wash,cook and clean for these children.

So I think the time for compensation and genuine apologies is long gone we need to stop whitewashing our history and acknowledged it and hopefully learn from it.

Yes we have a major aboriginal problem now that stems from the treatment of the past how do people think they or their kids would survive without a mother or father or any positive role models in life.

I have just read the answer above my-father-in-laws father was a white man who raped his aboriginal mother over 90 yrs ago.
This is what I mean about whitewashing our history.

Mr Qldtravel I was married to an aboriginal man,my children are aboriginal,I work in a predominately aboriginal suburb in West Australia I think qualifies me to comment.
I can see both sides of the story but I also went to a catholic school and know child abuse comes in all forms.

Aussie

In a word ...No !

Money will not change a thing ....that's been shown with the millions upon millions that have been poured down the drain with no useful benefit !

What the Aboriginal people need is for their elders to show some leadership & encourage the younger generation to take advantage of the opportunities that are showered upon them ....education is the key but nothing will change as long as they are relying on taxpayer funded handouts!

When will they stop dwelling on the past & look to the future !

Sea Eagle

To be honest, I have mixed feelings. I live in a town on the Mid North Coast with a high Aboriginal population. I would say, 1/4 of the Aboriginals are some of the nicest people you would ever meet. They mix in with the community activities, they go out and try to do something for themselves to get ahead in life. They have jobs, volunteer their time with town functions, ect.

But, 3/4 of them, mainly the young ones. Expect to have everything handed to them on a silver plate. Never made a effort to find work, go around setting bins on fire, smashing windows (the main ones they target, are the Aboriginals that are trying to have a go in life) ... and so on. With my job, I have helped set up training courses and such. Computer training, job skills and so on. I will tell you now, they are not interested.

I am not saying all are like that. Some are great people, the ones that work in aviation are setting a great example, and I am so glad about that. Respect is a better word.

About the stolen generation, Their were kids taken away for no reason... and that was sad and I think the government should sit down with those people and talk. But, there were some taken away because of their welfare. DOCS take kids of their parents now because of mistreatment and such... (White and Black)..

So I do not agree with the government coming out and making a Public apology...

Sorry if I offend you with my answer, but a lot of Aboriginals create their own problems.

K Bear... I am open for a chat by e-mail if you wish.. I try to be fair in life, if there is something that you know that may make me think otherwise... I am open to listen.

Skaggy says:

And then look what happens when aboriginal children are left with their parents in out back Australia...

http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2007/s1953026.htm

Why is mainstream Australia expected to fix their problems?

EDIT:
No matter what the government does, they are always in the wrong.

Mon_10

Picture this..
I'm in my kitchen cooking the midday meal. My three little kids are happily playing in the back yard. The Police scream to a halt outside my place, rush into the backyard, take my kids, threaten me with guns. I cannot use the law to fight this action or to find my kids. I have no rights. I never see my kids again.
(We are not talking about 100 years ago. This happened in the 1970s!)

Stop for a moment and imagine what it was like for these kids! Try to walk in "their" shoes.

No amount of compensation will work. I'd like to see the government spend the money trying to reunite families..

Frances M

When the kids stolen from their single mothers and lost to history get compensation I will be happy. When the English kids sent to Australia during WWII and told their parents had been killed when the parents were told the kids had been killed, get compensation, I will be happy
Why be selective ?

insighthere

I think he deserved more compensation than that but I think people are confusing the state of aboriginal affairs today with what happened years ago. They are like they are today because of their awful history. You would be too. A few however showed extreme courage and strength so perhaps it is true to say one chooses one's own way but if you have to be extremely strong to survive how fair is that?

My mother died just before I turned 6 years old but I am white. My brother-in-law's Mum was taken from her mother at the same age of 6 years and never saw her again. I knew what happened to my mother but it must have been awful for her growing up, never quite knowing if her Mum was dead or alive.

The sad thing is that even if she was offered compensation she probably would be too proud to take it. Her husband fought the Japs in WWII but wasn't allowed to vote until 1969 and didn't even want the Veteran's Pension later in life.

Despite all the difficulties the two faced they raised 8 children in a 2 bedroom house and all kids turned out great. I feel privileged to know these people and have some blood lines via my nieces and nephews.

She used to get called 'onion' by the vagrant town aboriginals because they believed she was brown on the outside and white on the inside but she did what she had to do because she was and is a good person. Her husband died a few years ago and there were hundreds of people at his funeral.

I think about her alot when I see John Howard say on TV that he doesn't need to apologise for the mistakes made by people in the past but the fact is Howard is only 10 years younger than her and I know that she is still sitting in her lounge room today wondering what happened to her mother.

I am deeply ashamed of my Australian history. It sickens me to know aborigines were chained in prisons in the standing position with their feet shackled and their hands shackled. The persecution lasted for 181 years and you cannot expect people to forget about it and just live ordinary lives as a result. There is going to be alcoholism, abuse and mental problems which are all associated with the displacements.

This case of the compensation payout demonstrates that the Stolen Generation don't need the PM to apologise anymore. They are capable of seeking justice if they want but the fact that is taken someone until 2007 to do so suggests that mainly they just wanted the apology and the recognition that they had been wronged.

davo

Sorry to say but i agree with skaggy

wtg_ib

i agree with the first answer

ausblue

I agree with Aussie money wont fix it

qldtravelguru

stolen but not underpriveledged!!

sorry but frankly while the methods dont nessicarly agree with the thoughts behind them those who were "stolen" were better off for having been so, look at what else they could expect at their real home, frankly what would you do if in the same shoes if you knew that the kids would get raped and worse.

I fail to see how they are stolen they were as with any other case where the parents are accused or known to be not providing sufficent care removed from their home and placed with foster families, this happens weather you are black, white or brindle. Fair enough some of them may have had a harder time away from home like the gent who made this claim in SA but the majority should thank their lucky stars they didnt get raped or worse.

I do have concerns as to what will hapen with the next generation that are splashed on the news now, can the remove them? or will they be stolen too? what would you do if you were in power- all i ask is you think about it a little.

as for the sorry- what for, why should our generation be sorry for the mistakes of the past, are the aboriginals sorry for slaughtering the original pygmy inhabitants of the atherton tablelands? or the zulus sorry for genocide across southern africa.

If the government says sorry there are over 14000 legal cases that will be launched for compensation which will cost the tax payer (yes you and i) aproximately 16 billion at last count, so please dont say sorry i say!

these are my views and while you may not agree with them I appreciate you reading them and hopefully they will shed new light on the situation you asked about.

cheers

Edit- Whitewash nothing my friend, I have lived in remote aborignal communities for more than half my life, I have been there and seen what happens and while 1/4 or the communitie are awesome, the rest left alot to be desired.

The crimes and so forth are more prevelant in the communities that else where within the "white" society if you want to play the colour game.

I do take your point about the generalisation however if we took everything by a case to case basis i would run out of room and time, so for this purpose my answer still stands and i ask what first hand knowledge do you have?

anyway feel free to down thumbs me again!

mariemlm

money has never been the answer to solving a childhood stolen. millions of children were stolen from their homes throughout history and sent from england to canada, u.s.a. & australia as child slaves. Child slaves are still being stolen from countries in Africa and eastern Europe, Thailand (s.e. asia)
I agree - each person has to take responsibility for their life, get up off their pity pot, get educated, get a job & get on with life. getting $$$compensation when over age 60 doesn't do a thing to solve the past.

ellegee3012

GO SKAGGY !!! you get my vote for PM !!

Duck

I hope so. Its a big man (or government) who can say "sorry". That little word can go a long way to healing hurt. I live in Northern Ireland and it is only when you can the other person's hurt you can start to mend bridges.

By the way Sea Eagle there are young lazy beggers here as well who wouldnt get off their asses to work. Why should they the government gives them benefits so that they can drink, use drugs and generally lie about all day.

Kim from Sydney

knowing alot of Aboriginal people "we" believe the government will never say sorry.... just look how the government is trying to take over places such as the block
and send the people out west ie Dubbo and Wellington where there is a great number of Aboriginals reside...
"further the way the better" according to the government and devolop the block into units as upperclass as streets backing off the block... speak to Mick Mundine a aboriginal leader and he will tell you or asked the people living in the block but dont be scared as they are people too... lets live as one...

or even watch Rabbit Proof Fence...

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