OK, let me rush in where angels fear to tread.

Was there a stolen generation?

I know a number of people claim there was a stolen generation. I know Rudd apologised for the stolen generation. But claims and politicians speeches don’t make it so.

My understanding is that Andrew Bolt challenged Robert Manne to produce the names of 10 children who had been stolen. Apparently Manne produced 10 names and Bolt demonstrated, at least to his own satisfaction, that the named children had been removed for their own safety.

I know that in 1996 Lorna Cubillo and Peter Gunner sued the Commonwealth claiming that they had been stolen. They lost their case. In 2000 the Judge ruled that they had been lawfully removed for their own safety. I read the judgement and it did appear there were ample grounds for removing the two children.

If children were still being stolen in the 1940s and 1950s there would be some still alive today. Certainly some would have been alive in the 1990s. There would be no paucity of lawyers willing to take their cases on a no win no fee basis or, perhaps, even on a no fee basis. I would therefore have expected a large number of lawsuits. They have not materialised.

I realise this is a sensitive area in which people have strong views. Though I lean towards scepticism I have no strong opinions. However I would like to know what is the evidence.

As I expected, Aka has successfully "trolled" this forum to the devisive and very emotional, for many, subject of aboriginal woe.

This is not what the author was on about - CJ the UN definition is one of many, and it changes over time, as many definitions do. The definition most common I would have thought, is the one around the end of WWII when the German government had a written policy to exterminate a race and indeed set about it. Since then it has been diluted to mean many things, e.g. the UN definition, so as to bring immense emotion, when needed, to bear.

I understand the "politically correct" view of many posters, I do not agree with them, but respect your right to your opinion, this being an opinion forum. I do not like it when people deliberately use emotional political correctness to subvert a forum to their own personal agenda.

Grim, on Tasmania, the aboriginals were not wiped out, Michael Mansell would agree with me I'm sure - but you are correct that there was an effort and intent to exterminate the aboriginals, and that was in my opinion, attempted Genocide. Thanks you for bringing that unfortunate episode to my attention.

Since Aka's post, there has only been one comment not on aboriginals, my point to Aka is thus substantiated, everyone left the forum bar those who then sprayed polical correctness and bile (talking through hats) at any who disagree. Now other aboriginal agenda are appearing, good luck, have fun folks, I'll not bother with this one again.

Odo,

Not that it matters but I don't believe that the Nazis had any "written policy" to exterminate Jews.
That's what keeps professional denialists like David Irving in business.

They also systematically murdered Gypsies, homosexuals and the mentally ill in great numbers too.

Also, Jews are not a "race" any more than Christians are.

As a result of what happened , the term "genocide" was actually redefined in 1944.
http://www.deathreference.com/En-Gh/Genocide.html