Aboriginal child removal

A protest against the forced removal of Aboriginal children was organised on Human Rights Day in Redfern. Rachel Evans reports.

First Nations children are still being stolen from their family, culture and Country — and at an increasing rate. Markela Panegyres reports on a NSW Greens' bill that is seeking to make this colonial practice illegal.

The police officer charged with the murder of a Yamatji woman wants the trial moved from Perth to Geraldton. Deborah Green explains this would prejudice the outcome of the case due to the town's renown racism.

Aboriginal child removals by government Child Protection agencies across the nation are taking place at an alarming rate. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported a rise in the rate of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children aged up to 17 in out of home care across all states and territories over the past decade. Aboriginal children are eight times more likely to be the subject of departmental intervention; nine times more likely to be on care and protection orders; and 10 times more likely to be in out-of-home care than non-Aboriginal kids.
Protesters gathered outside the Queensland State Executive on December 30, angry at yet another incident of violence against an Aboriginal child in the custody of the state. Denzel, an 11 year old boy, had been severely bashed in juvenile detention. His family is demanding an urgent inquiry into the state brutality, and that Denzel be released back to them and to safety.
Grandmothers Against Removals (GMAR) attended the launch of a “guiding principles document” in Tamworth on November 9 to be implemented by Tamworth Family and Community Services (FACS). The document was negotiated with GMAR after a series of protests last year that targeted the Tamworth FACS office, which had removed an unprecedented number of Aboriginal children from their families. The campaign forced FACS to admit that the situation needed to change.