Western Australia has announced an $85,000 compensation scheme for survivors of the Stolen Generations, making it the second-last Australian jurisdiction to establish such a program.
Premier Roger Cook unveiled the scheme yesterday, stating it represents “a further step towards reconciliation and healing past wrongs.” The announcement came one day after National Sorry Day.
“The WA Stolen Generations redress scheme acknowledges that this era represents a sorrowful and shameful part of our history and recognises it causes cycles of disadvantage and intergenerational trauma,” Cook said.
National Comparison
The scheme brings WA in line with most other states and territories. Queensland now remains the only jurisdiction without a redress program for Stolen Generations survivors.
WA’s $85,000 payment sits between Victoria’s $100,000 scheme and the lower amounts offered elsewhere: NSW and territories ($75,000), South Australia ($30,000 total), and Tasmania ($58,333 for survivors, $22,000 for descendants).
Survivor Response
Tony Hansen, a Stolen Generations survivor and prominent advocate for the scheme, described the announcement as “a long time in the waiting.”
“Our people have suffered. This is our shared history of this state,” Hansen said. “The evilness of what took place in this state has a ripple effect right across this country.”
Historical Context
Much of Western Australia’s forced removal policy was implemented under A.O. Neville, who served as chief protector of Aborigines and later native affairs commissioner from 1915 to 1940.
Neville advocated using missions to “pacify the natives and accustom them to white man’s ways” and spoke of a goal to “merge them into our white community and eventually forget that there were any Aborigines in Australia.”
Scheme Details
The compensation is available to survivors who were removed from their families before July 1, 1972. Applications opened immediately, with payments expected to commence in the second half of 2024.
Cook acknowledged that “no amount of money could ever make up for the experience of Stolen Generations members and their families,” but said the payments “acknowledge an injustice” and “offer a path forward.”Add to Conversation
