Stolen wages compo deal 'an insult'

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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From GLW issue 621