This debate about the alleged "Stolen Generation" is getting more and more interesting.

If I recall correctly firstly it began about getting the government to say sorry and not talk about compensation.

Now there is talk about compensation, varying between 1-3 billion dollars. However I suspect the compensation bill may not even be covered by the 15 billion surplus.

Now in todays The Australian the words 'evil' and 'cruel' are trying to be inserted into the apology.

I however do agree that wages that were withheld be paid.

As an interesting bit of insight, stories told to me about my grandfather who did employ aboriginal labour. From what I can recall when he first did this, the people he employed would disappear once they had been paid and return when they needed more money.

Apparently he eventually countered this, by giving them enough money to live on, until the work was finished and then paid them what was owing.

James H, What your grandfather would not have understood was that Aborigines were not conditioned to the 'work ethic' as they were initially hunter gatherers who 'worked' at obtaining their sustenance without the use of money.
They did not have a word in their languages for money until their contact in the top-end with Macassans prior to white invasion when they adopted the malay word 'rupiah'

Steven,

Are you a mate os Mansell's who wants $1 billion for the stolen Generation?

I find with-in your argument and the Government's stance, how both fail to understand democracy at work. Why is it that you fail to see the Stolen Generation issues as a tool to reflect away from the truth, a leftist view indeed.

Why not canvass the view,s of those directly effected and pressure Government to provide Legal Aid to those in need, not activist's with a hiden agenda's that protect corrupt Governments.

Your view's are mamifestly disturbing in-that they reflex the views of misfitts, bigots and fack Aborigines who have controled Government policy on Aboriginal affairs for the passed generation, and then in turn feed off the weak and oppressed placed in those position as a result of such policies.

Posted by maracas, Monday, 17 December 2007 10:51:50 AM

Some of the stories were fascinating, and I think in the period of my grandfather that there was not much in the way of cultural understanding.

My grandparents also had a shop and I remember being told that the women never entered the shop until the men had left.

This may sound cultural inappriopriate today, but it was deemed appropriate behaviour back then.

I understand that my grand parents would give the aboriginals a lift and one story I partially remember is that my grand mother gave a aboriginal woman a lift to Denny.

One of the problems is judging behaviour or policies that were deemed appropriate 50-60 years ago by todays standard.

Perhaps in another 50-60 years the behaviour and policies deemed appropriate today will be seen as being highly inappropriate.

Maybe in another 50-60 years someone might develop another sorry day, and claim compenstation for wrongs committed by the government for trying to develop social policy?

In 1937, the Commonwealth Government held a national conference on Aboriginal affairs which agreed that Aboriginal people 'not of full blood' should be absorbed or 'assimilated' into the wider population. The aim of assimilation was to make the 'Aboriginal problem' gradually disappear so that Aboriginal people would lose their identity in the wider community.

Protection and assimilation policies which impacted harshly on Indigenous people included separate education for Aboriginal children, town curfews, alcohol bans, no social security, lower wages, State guardianship of all Aboriginal children and laws that segregated Indigenous people into separate living areas, mainly on special reserves outside towns or in remote areas.

This led to what is known as the “Stolen Generation”. This practise was finally stopped in 1971. That was ONLY 36 years ago. Not only are the victims still suffering today, but the perpatrators who committed some awful crimes to these children are still alive. As far as im concerned, that makes it an issue for todays Governments.

Im tired of hearing people say that at the time the Government thought they were doing the right thing so that makes it ok. Do you think Jewish people feel the same way about Hitler? He thought he was doing the right thing too.

On a personal level, no money compensation will ever take away my mothers nightmares or memories from that terrible time in her life.