From about 1890 to 1985, state and federal governments in Australia did not pay the wages and entitlements of the Aboriginal people who were under their control. During this period, most Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were controlled by various ‘Protection’ Acts. These gave the governments almost unlimited rights to control their lives.
Many governments organised work contracts, at significantly lower wages, for Aboriginal people. Apart from a very small amount of ‘pocket money’ which was often not paid, the wages were sent to the relevant Department, such as the Qld Department of Native Affairs, who managed the money ‘for the benefit of the wage earners’.
Research in government archives in Queensland and then in NSW and other states, shows that the governments generally did not manage the money justly and that fraud, mismanagement, and application of the accumulated money for the benefit of government’s political interest were the norm.
These missing monies, which includes wages and state and commonwealth entitlements such as maternity benefits, invalid and widows’ are generally known as "stolen wages".
no comprende?Many governments organised work contracts, at significantly lower wages, for Aboriginal people. Apart from a very small amount of ‘pocket money’ which was often not paid, the wages were sent to the relevant Department, such as the Qld Department of Native Affairs, who managed the money ‘for the benefit of the wage earners’.
Research in government archives in Queensland and then in NSW and other states, shows that the governments generally did not manage the money justly and that fraud, mismanagement, and application of the accumulated money for the benefit of government’s political interest were the norm.
These missing monies, which includes wages and state and commonwealth entitlements such as maternity benefits, invalid and widows’ are generally known as "stolen wages".
lets try this...
IMAGINE that the government instructs your employer to withhold four-fifths of your pay, over and above the normal tax deducted, ordering the money be forwarded to a government-administered account.
You query this but are told what the government is doing is lawful and that your money is to be spent in ways that will further your welfare.
Where you live, schools are run down and the public health and housing services are low-grade and deteriorating.
But despite all the money you and others are handing over, no improvements are made to your services and infrastructure.
It transpires the money is being spent on projects, some public infrastructure, some not, thousands of kilometres away.
Years pass before the government suddenly stops taking your money. It says it got things wrong. It says sorry.
However, it refuses to pay back to you what was taken or even give you back your portion of what's left in the so-called welfare fund.
Instead today's Government offers you a tiny amount in "reparation" and announces the leftover money is to go into an education scholarship fund that, if your child is one of the lucky few, may assist you to send your child hundreds of kilometres away to school.
You try to take legal action to recover your money, but the Government says, whoops, its records are incomplete, missing, washed away in floods, burned or eaten by the cat and so you can't prove that it really did take your money, or as much as you say it took. So, how would you feel if all this happened to you? It's a reasonable question, because this is no hypothetical.
It happened to indigenous people in this state and it's an ongoing scandal
.You query this but are told what the government is doing is lawful and that your money is to be spent in ways that will further your welfare.
Where you live, schools are run down and the public health and housing services are low-grade and deteriorating.
But despite all the money you and others are handing over, no improvements are made to your services and infrastructure.
It transpires the money is being spent on projects, some public infrastructure, some not, thousands of kilometres away.
Years pass before the government suddenly stops taking your money. It says it got things wrong. It says sorry.
However, it refuses to pay back to you what was taken or even give you back your portion of what's left in the so-called welfare fund.
Instead today's Government offers you a tiny amount in "reparation" and announces the leftover money is to go into an education scholarship fund that, if your child is one of the lucky few, may assist you to send your child hundreds of kilometres away to school.
You try to take legal action to recover your money, but the Government says, whoops, its records are incomplete, missing, washed away in floods, burned or eaten by the cat and so you can't prove that it really did take your money, or as much as you say it took. So, how would you feel if all this happened to you? It's a reasonable question, because this is no hypothetical.
It happened to indigenous people in this state and it's an ongoing scandal
there
happy?
now
a flowchart
/snicker
thats some sciency shit right there
cause and effect and whatnot
lets ignore
the aboriginal problem?
sure you threw money but it always missed the mark and ended up in whitey's pocket
A federal government program aimed at assisting indigenous Australians to own their own home used up nearly $10 million in administration to provide $2.7 million for just 15 loans.
As well, not one of the 45 homes constructed at a cost of $25.5 million for the program in the Northern Territory has been sold to the indigenous community.
Stolen WagesAs well, not one of the 45 homes constructed at a cost of $25.5 million for the program in the Northern Territory has been sold to the indigenous community.
$10m admin cost to give $2.7m home loans, audit reveals
State Government's dodgy deal
Stolen wages timeline
