Andrew Murray (WA, Australian Democrats) Share this | Hansard source

Mr President, it is a good thing that you stopped me wandering off to chat to him. My question is to Senator Minchin, the Minister representing the Prime Minister. Is the minister aware of the stolen wages issue where wages supposedly held in trust for Aboriginal workers last century were not paid out? Is the minister aware that both the Queensland and New South Wales governments have apologised for the mismanagement and misappropriation of millions of dollars supposedly held in trust and that reparations are now being organised? Is the minister aware that the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs reported that the same problem of stolen wages applies to child migrants and non-Indigenous children institutionalised last century? Is the minister aware that these two groups reported on by the committee lack the same sort of well-funded advocacy network that Aboriginal activists rightly have? What can the Prime Minister’s office do to assist the recovery of stolen wages for all sectors of the community in Australia?