30 November 2000
INQUIRY INTO THE STOLEN GENERATION
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social Justice Commissioner Dr Bill Jonas today welcomed the Senate Legal and Constitutional Committee report of its Inquiry into the Stolen Generation.
The Inquiry was established in November 1999 to examine the adequacy of the Federal Government's response to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission's Bringing them Home report.
"I am pleased to see that the Committee addressed three key issues raised in HREOC's submission - the need for national co-ordination and leadership, Indigenous participation and an approach to reparation based on an international human rights framework," he said.
"However, I am disappointed that the Federal Government's entrenched position has barely shifted over the 12 month life of the Inquiry. There is still a need for the Government to accept the responsibility to make reparation to those who have suffered and this means going far beyond relying on its mantra of practical reconciliation. I believe practical reconciliation is important, but the response to the stolen generation to date is clearly inadequate."
"I am pleased to see the Committee has recommended an independent audit of existing programs aimed at the stolen generation and proposed a Commonwealth summit to evaluate progress in 12 months."
Dr Jonas said he would like the Government to embrace the Van Boven principles for reparation, as called for in Bringing them Home, which include an apology, restitution, compensation and guarantees against repetition.
"HREOC provided the Government with a broad framework for addressing the findings of Bringing them Home but the Government refused to engage in the debate by relying on existing legal frameworks to deal with issues when clearly they are not adequate," he said.
Media contact: Janine MacDonald (02) 9284 9880 or 0412 783 631
© Human Rights
and Equal Opportunity Commission. Last updated 2 December 2001.
Your comments and feedback are welcome. Email us at: webfeedback@humanrights.gov.au
