Bill Mason, Brisbane

Townsville “stolen wages” campaigner Yvonne Butler has described the offer by the Queensland government of compensation for the theft of Aboriginal workers' wages and entitlements over decades — amounting to fixed payments of $2000 to $4000 each — as an insult.

She said this explains the fact that only 7600 Aboriginal people had applied for the government's offer, out of an official estimate of 16,000-20,000 eligible claimants. Of those who had applied, as at March 14, only 3800 had been paid. The Beattie government's reparations deal, totalling $55.6 million, closes at the end of this year.

According to general manager and broadcaster with Murri radio station 98.9FM in Brisbane Tiga Bayles: “The level and depth of feeling in Aboriginal communities across Queensland about their missing, unpaid and underpaid wages and savings, commonly known as ‘stolen wages', runs deep — and it's time for the government to do something about it.”

From Green Left Weekly, April 6, 2005.
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