TRANSCRIPT
A dark chapter in Western Australia's history is finally seeing the light of justice as the state government has agreed to a historic $180.4 million settlement for thousands of Aboriginal workers who had their wages stolen between 1936 and 1972.
The payments include a separate amount of up to $15.4 million for some of the Applicant’s legal costs.
West Australian Premier Roger Cook made the announcement.
"Obviously, we want to see justice delivered to these people. We also need to make sure that we protect the interests of the WA taxpayer. So, we believe that we've struck the right balance. It's been obviously a lengthy and difficult process, having some difficult conversations."
The class action was launched in 2020 by Mervyn Street, a 72-year-old Kimberley Stockman and Gooniyandi traditional owner, who took the step to seek redress for the injustices that Aboriginal workers endured during this period.
The state's Aboriginal Affairs Minister, Dr Tony Buti, says the settlement is a recognition of the wrongs of the past.
The state will also issue a public acknowledgement and apology in W-A Parliament at the end of the month to surviving and deceased Aboriginal workers.
The settlement is subject to approval by the Federal Court of Australia, the court will then decide the exact amount of each claimant.
It’s believed Mr Street will advocate that those who worked longest under the said legislation should receive the most compensation.
Professor of Economics and Business History at the University of South Australia, Martin Shanahan, explains what stolen wages are.
"Stolen wages refers to a group of payments that Aboriginal people were supposed to receive over a number of decades and for various reasons in different states, they did not receive either the full amount or any of it at all. What it refers to as a collection of payments that covers everything from Commonwealth payment for things like pensions or widows’ payments through to payment for work done on pastoral stations or at missions but which were not paid."
How did that happen?
"What in fact happened was that for example, if you were supposed to receive some payment from the Commonwealth for a benefit, maybe a widow's benefit, or something like that, and it was paid to meant to be paid to you, it might be paid to a mission where you were living or it might be paid to a pastoral station where you were living, and the people at those missions or at those pastoral stations would hold on to those payments, tell you that they'd been putting it into your bank account, perhaps. And in many cases, people never saw that money again. Or if they did see it, it was a tiny fraction of what was actually paid in."
Vicky Antzoulatos is Joint Head of Class Actions at Shine Lawyers, who represented the claimants.
She hopes the class action can inspire greater understanding of the experiences of Aboriginal people in Western Australia.
“The workers and their descendants suffered inter-generational disadvantage because of the legislation in place in the state of Western Australia over many decades which directly affected the lives and livelihoods of Aboriginal people.”
Uncle Jim Morrison is the chairman of the West Australian Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation.
He has mixed feelings about the W-A government's decision.
"Look, I suppose part of me is saying is it's a great thing. It's finally happening. I'm excited about that. But other part of me is saying well, why was it taken so long? Where has that money gone? Where's the interest in that money that's been stolen? And I'm glad they actually recognise that it's stolen money. So, there's some good things there. So, I think it brings some closure to a lot of Stolen Generations people who've lost their wages in whatever, whatever stage they were at in life, because our people went from missions to farms to pastoral and anywhere else too, where there was an opportunity for employers to take money off us because we weren't citizens."
Uncle Jim is saddened by the fact that many of those whose wages were stolen have died but is comforted in knowing their descendants will benefit.
"People are dying all the time. We've had a number of deaths in the last month, people that would have qualified. So, I guess part of the saving grace might be that the descendants might be able to form closure on their old people. I mean, I know a lot of people have said well, it might not be a lot of money, but I'm buying a tombstone for my parents. So, there's mixed feelings about all of that. And, you know, I, I challenge people who are listening whether they may be black or white, how would you feel if you know three-quarters of your wages were kept in trust? And how would you fare in this world without proper income? And what would happen to your children?"
In 2019, the Queensland government paid almost $200 million to Aboriginal workers and their families who had their wages stolen under similar circumstances.
The W-A Government says the settlement recognises the past and acknowledges the valuable contributions of First Nations people to the state.
But Professor Shanahan explains there are still concerns about the issue, all around the country.
"There has been quite some payments made in Queensland for example, in the past, WA as you say, I think perhaps South Australia and New South Wales but what tends to happen in all these cases is that because they've been brought under a legal approach, the amounts that have been paid back are normally quite conservative, but also even where a state government says okay, the case the court case shows we have some funds and we're going to make reparations to people affected that's only paid generally to survivors. And it's only generally paid to people who can clearly demonstrate that they were affected."
He says the effects of the stolen wages continue to this day.
"One of the main consequences of stolen wages, besides just the injustice of it, to so many people, was the cumulative intergenerational effect.... If you think about how many people live, get employment, save, often they'd benefit by some loan from parents, these days. But there's a there's a family support for people to be able to work their way through the system. When you have whole generations who are receiving far less than they should in their full remuneration, you're not just only affecting the people who didn't get paid properly, you're affecting subsequent generations."
