A History of Injustice

The 1897 Aboriginal Protection Act gave the Queensland Government control over every aspect of the lives of Indigenous people in the State.

By 1904, the employment, pay and savings of all Aborigines were controlled through compulsory work contracts.  These often resulted in children being placed in dormitories so that their parents could be sent elsewhere to work.  Some children were also made to work.

From 1905 to 1972, a system of “compulsory savings” was introduced for over half of all Indigenous workers.  These workers had access to only a small fraction of their wages.  They often had to ask local police for some of their wages to pay for basic expenses.

The remainder of their wages was placed in the Queensland Aboriginals Account It is estimated that this fund amassed around $500 million.

Workers were not given a written record of their pay and research has uncovered much negligent recording, mismanagement and fraudulent use of funds held in trust.

Some of the trust funds were used to pay for public hospitals and other infrastructure.

 Government Response

In 1996, the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC) ruled that the Queensland Government had underpaid Indigenous workers in the 11 years from 1975 when the Racial Discrimination Act came into effect.  In response, the Government paid $7000 each to affected workers as compensation.  It is estimated that Indigenous workers were underpaid $187 million during this period, but only $40 million was paid out through this compensation package.

In 2002, the Queensland Government recognised the great wrong done to Indigenous workers over the twentieth century and introduced a $56.5 million reparations package.  It offered payments of $2000 or $4000 to eligible workers.  The payment was not made available to the families of deceased workers and those workers who accepted the payment had to indemnify the Government against legal action to claim the full amount owed.  This offer closed on 31 January this year.

Only a fraction of the $56.5 million package has been paid out and many Indigenous people are unhappy about the terms of the package.  They want to keep working for a fairer outcome.

 The Church Calls for Justice

Various diocesan bodies in Queensland (such as the Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of Brisbane and the Social Justice Commission of Toowoomba) have prepared a petition to the Premier calling on him to re-negotiate a fairer and more just settlement of this issue with Indigenous people.

You can read more about this issue in a background paper prepared by the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council.  It is called Stolen Wages: An Opportunity for Justice.  It can be downloaded from their website at http://www.socialjustice.catholic.org.au/

  You are urged to participate in this call for justice by signing the petition and getting others to sign it too.

 If you need more information or help, please contact:

Catholic Justice and Peace Commission of Brisbane,

GPO Box 282, Brisbane Q 4001.

Ph (07) 3336 9173, Fax (07) 3336 9177, E-mail: arndtp@bne.catholic.net.au/

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