Rally for stolen wages

CAIRNS — "Aboriginal people were paid a pittance for their work over 100 years, and even that pittance was stolen", Terry O'Shane, chair of a rally held in the city mall on May 15, told the audience.

Aunty Ruth Hegarty from the Stolen Wages Working Group announced the results of the Preliminary Stolen Wages Survey. "Around 94% of Indigenous participants in the survey felt the state government's proposal of settlement was not a good offer. The offer of round figures of $4000 and $2000 means that Aboriginal people are not being assessed as individuals."

Tiga Bayles, prominent Aboriginal broadcaster and long-term activist, said: "The offer of around $55 million is quite inadequate. We have had support from both the Queensland unions and the state ALP conference.

"We are saying to Premier [Peter] Beattie, do the right thing. Pay the proper compensation, including for the deceased claimants.

"[PM] John Howard is about to launch a big attack on the unions. Workers and Aborigines need to stand together against these attacks. We must unite and fight. It's time to stand up for human rights. It's time to take action."

Jim McIlroy

From Green Left Weekly, May 25, 2005.

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From GLW issue 627