To all the forgotten australians out there my question is: Why is the australian goverment willing to say sorry to the stolen generation while they are still covering up the rapes and abuse that we FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS suffered whilst in institutional care. There were aboriginies whites and all other nationalities in these institutions as well, so come on people out their get behind us FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS.

Rapes are prevalent in Australias mental institutions.
No one really cares to expose it because it reflects poorly on the reputations of managements and psychiatrists. I see psychiatrists quite often as an extension of old witchcraft...they do lots of experiments on patients with new drugs and the patient can become a terrible victim.
If they let in the pastors of the pentecostal christian churches many patients stuffed with pills and injections of mysterious liquids would get set free through coming to Jesus through the laying on of hands.

Dear huffnpuff (Michael),

You have my support. And I agree with you that you should not be forgotten. I hope that you will get the Parliamentary acknowledgement
that you want from the new Government. Because it would be the moral leadership that we're all looking for from our new PM.

Michael, I'm sure everyone on this Forum supports you!

Huffnpuff the good fight is always right.
I will always back you as you know how disgusted I am in this and how these parties and polititians and unions have let this go on.

There is no excuse.

Stu

Gibo will you give it a rest? your smug reference to mental institutions is unneeded.
Are you even slightly aware how many Christian ministers and Priest's raped children?
That glass house of shame the Church's along with some dreadful history from within the Scouting movement will not go away.
Huffnpuff I too want justice for you, but first we must say sorry.
We can not understand what the impact of taking those children away was like.
I understand some needed taking away, some live still because it happened but we have much to be sorry for, we white Australians from all over the world.
Not until my proud product of the trade union movement the ALP got involved had Aboriginals been Australians.
In the country they once owned they could not vote or so very much more.
Have faith battle on but let us say sorry, let us not pay, or blame those who took no part.
But I am sorry, I also am sorry for you and every victim like you, I am sorry that every government from every side for so many years has not delivered justice.
I am hopeful accountability is back in style, huffnpuff it will be hard but I ask you to consider this.
We should not ask why is a wrong being fixed but not ours.
We should be happy one is done and get on with fixing the rest, we have much work to do.

The problem Belly is if we dont talk about the hidden evil it gets to stay hidden.
Thats why bringing things to the Light is so important.
God gets to deal with the matter once its out in the open.
Yes... we know about the christians ministers who failed.
I think the proportion of botched personal truly christian ministries compared to the rest of similar sexual failings everyone else on the earth has been involved in, is very small. Its more prevalent in church institutions where there is little seeking of The Holy Spirit and where Christs Salvation is hardly preached.
The RC church is the classic example of the failure. Priests cannot marry so the weaker ones seek other flesh. There is almost no preaching of Jesus' Salvation and The Holy Spirit is hardly anywhere in the institution. The Vatican wants the people focused on the Vatican and the pope. The RC church is a world consuming religious plague (see One World Church) and now much of Anglicanism is following.
The atheist just wants to focus on the failings of the churches because of his/her personal hate for any thing God or religious.

Agree IF Rudd PM's government plans apologise to "Stolen Generation" needs apologise to ALL of them,

They seek to claim acceptance for government to qualify rights of Australians by racial testing.

The more things change, the more they stay the same..

by defintion huffpuff, stolen generations were abused through instititional care..its was the government..get it?

TO THOSE THAT HAVE PLACED THE OPINION HERE IM GLADD BUT ITS BEEN REALLY SLOW SO FAR RAINER I KNOW IT WAS ABORIGINIES IN THESE INSTITUTIONS AS WELL AS I STIPULATED THAT IN THE FIRST ARTICLE OF THIS TOPIC WE ALL KNOW THAT THE GOVERMENT IS COVERING UP WHAT WE ALL SUFFERED AS I SAID IF IT IS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAY SORRY TO THE ABORINALS IT SHOULD BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR THEM TO SAY SORRY TO US THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS THE TWO SENATE REPORTS THE FIRST CALLED THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS A REPORT ON AUSTRALIANS WHO EXPERINCED INSTITUTIONAL OR OUT OF HOME CARE AS CHILDREN AUGUST 2004 THE SECOND CALLED, PROTECTING VULNERABLE CHILDREN; A NATIONAL CHALLANGE SECOND REPORT ON THE INQUIRY INTO CHILDREN IN INSTITUTION OR OUT OF HOME CARE WE VICTIMS HAVE NOTHING TO HIDE FROM AS TO WHAT WE SUFFERED AND WHAT WAS DONE TO US BY THE STAFF OF THESE INSTITUTIONS THAT WERE RUN BY THE STATE OF NEW SOUTH WALES AND THAT OF OTHER STATES IN AUSTRALIA IM REAL AND ITS ABOUT TIME THOSE OF YOU GET TOGETHER ON THIS AND HELP US FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS AS THE GOVERMENT ARE STILL COVERING UP WHAT HAS HAPPEND TO US ALL WE ARE REAL VICTIMS OF THE GOVERMENT AS THAT OF THE ABORIGINIES AND I ALSO STATE IT WAS ALL RACES WHOM WERE IN THESE INSTITUTIONS NOT JUST ONE COLOUR AND IF ANY OF YOU WANT ME TO QUOTE SOME OF THE STORIES IN THOSE REPORTS I SHALL TO DO IS ASK ME AS THIS ABUSE OCCURRED IN ORPHANAGES GIRLS HOMES BOYS HOMES FOSTER HOMES REMAND CENTRES CHURCH HOMES MENTAL HOMES OUT OF HOME CARE STATE WARD HOMES THE LIST GOES ON AND IF YOU WANT ME TO NAME ALL THE HOMES IN THE REPORT I WILL DO THAT AS WELL IM NOT HERE TO TALK BULL_HIT THIS IS REAL AND A LOT OF YOU KNOW IT THE GOVERMENT CAN CHANGE THE NATIONAL ANTHEN AND THAT IS A PART OF HISTORY WHY NOT RE WRITE HISTORY FOR THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS AS THEY ARE DOING IT FOR THE STOLEN GENERATION

Dear huffnpuff (Michael),

If I only could, I would remove all the pain that you're feeling. I would remove every pebble out of your life's path.

You sound so distressed. My heart goes out to you.

I can't even begin to imagine the horrors that you must have gone through.

All I can hope for you is that the new government will acknowledge your suffering officially, along with that of the Aboriginal Peoples.

I pray that you will get the justice that you seek.

My father told me,"Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsucceful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan 'Press On' has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

That is truly awful and of course both Australian and British governments should provide justice and recompense to those children.

Forgive me if I have got this wrong huffnpuff, but I remember seeing a documentary which referred to the Forgotten Children a few years ago. It talked about the children who were forced out from Britain into a home somewhere near Orange I think. I felt truly sad and shocked that something like this could go on under everyone's noses and ignored. I feel for all those people first as children living through this fear and now as adults living with the consequences.

In my experience the best way to bring light to these issues is first via your MP and then if that fails the Media if they are willing to make a story from it.

Best of luck.

Huffnpuff,

I support you absolutely and I've wrote to the previous govt about it. Thanks for reminding me to get off my arse and write to this one. On another thread I've been writing about a friend who was sexually abused by a care worker when he was a ward of the state.

I believe the difference is really about the level of activism and pressure. Once the Commonweath has apologised to the stolen generation it might be easier to get this apology on the table.

For those who haven't read the Forgotten Australians report, it's here: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/clac_ctte/inst_care/report/

"by defintion huffpuff, stolen generations were abused through instititional care..its was the government..get it?"
Ranier,
The Forgotten Australians senate committee recommended:
"That the Commonwealth Government issue a formal statement acknowledging, on behalf of the nation, the hurt and distress suffered by many children in institutional care, particularly the children who were victims of abuse and assault; and apologising for the harm caused to these children."

Some state governments have already apologised - Queensland definitely has, I'm pretty sure Victoria has. Some of the churches and charitable institions who abused children have too. However, the last federal government ignored this recommendation.

So, in response to your statement, it was the government in this instance too. I'm not sure exactly what your point was, but I think Huffnpuff "gets it."

THANKS AGAIN TO THOSE WHO ARE GIVING THEIR SURPORT FOR THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS , I WOULD LIKE TO LET YOU ALL KNOW THAT I HAVE ALSO BEEN PUTTING COMMENTS ON THE FORUM THAT IS IN ON THE CHANNEL TEN WEB SITE IT IS UNDER DAVID AND KIM ,BECOME A MEMBER OF CHANNEL TEN ITS AS THE SAME AS BECOMING A MEMBER OF THIS WEB SITE ,AT LEAST YOU DONT
;T HAVE TO WAIT 24 HOURS TO HAVE YOUR TOPIC POSTED IVE WROTE A LOT IN ON THAT SITE YET THEIR HAS BEEN A FEW WHO SURPORT THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS YET THE MORE THAT GET ONTO THAT SITE THE BETTER A LOT OF US WILL BE AS WELL , AS I HAVE SAID IVE WROTE TO ALL THE NEW PEOPLE IN CABNIET STILL AWAITING THEIR REPLYS AND PLEASE ALL JUST CLICK ON MY NAME AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT IVE WROTE IN EVERYTHING ON THIS FORUM AS A LOT OF YOU WILL BE SEEING I AM NOT A PERSON TO GIVE UP ,AND WHY SHOULD I AS THIS IS REAL TRUE THINGS THAT HAPPEND TO US VICTIMS LEAST IM TRYING MY BEST , TO GET THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS SOME ATTENTION ,BUT HOW MUCH IS YET TO BE SEEN , TAKE CARE ALL ,WE ARE THE FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS AND SHALL NOT BE FORGOTTEN ANYMORE ,ALSO IM NOT STUPID I KNOW THE GOVERMENT IS RESPOSABLE FOR WHAT HAPPEND TO US WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN AND IT WAS BOTH GOVERMENTS AT DIFFRENT TIMES , , THAT WERE RUNNING OUR COUNTRY WHEN THESE THINGS WERE HAPPENING TO US WHEN WE WERE CHILDREN REGARDS MICHEAL

huffnpuff,

You're keeping up the good fight. And you have so much support on OLO.

Your question: "Why is the australian goverment willing to say sorry to the stolen generation while they are still covering up the rapes and abuse that we FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS suffered whilst in institutional care?" needs unravelling.

The first part - the apology - is answered in terms of the amount of pressure Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians have put on various governments over many years. I guess Rudd wants to appear to be making a new start too.

I don't think the government can cover up rape and abuse any more. The accounts of hundreds of Forgotten Australians were published in the Senate Report of that title. What the (previous) Commonwealth government said about an apology was it was up to the states, churches and charities which ran the institutions where rapes and abuse took place. In other words, it wasn't willing to take a leadership position on the issue.

We don't have to accept that mealy-mouthed response and CLAN (Care Leavers of Australia Network) and others are working on the new government to get the position changed.

But we also need to lobby state governments to issue apologies - several, but not all, have already. But just as important we also need the states to provide redress schemes - WA, Queensland and Tasmania have already - and other forms of tangible support for Forgotten Australians. There are still many Forgotten Australians who didn't get to tell their stories to the Senate Inquiry, and CLAN is asking all the states to mount state inquiries where that hasn't happened.

Many Forgotten Australians still suffer physical and emotional problems caused when they were incarcerated, and a government gold card for medical services is essential to meet their ongoing needs.

As you indicate, many of the Stolen Generation children were also Forgotten Australians too. In Ballarat Orphanage where I was incarcerated during the 40s and early 50s more than 10% of the kids were Kooris. We should show solidarity with them and ask them to support our cause too.

I'd like to think I'm with the good guys and folks on this issue. However, a whole generation of kids whose fathers returned from war, changed by experience or trauma descended into depression, trauma and violence on their families. There are laws covering familial abuse but how often do we hear about them unless Channel 9 picks up on a really nasty story. All you who have suffered whether because of Aboriginality or institutionalisation deserve our respect and sympathy. And I'm sorry for you but I was a victim too!

perikles

You had a tough time no doubt, and you have my sincere sympathy. As do all kids whose parents were abusive or alcoholics or neglectful.

CLAN has recently completed a survey of its members and you might be interested in some of the results (291 respondents). The main reasons CLAN members were put in institutions as children were:

- father alcoholic (57 cases of whom at least 22 were alcoholic war veterans)
- parents divorced or separated (49)
- mother dead (32); father dead (10); both parents dead (5)
- parents too poor to keep them (31)
- mother mentally ill (30); father mentally ill (9); both parents mentally ill (7)
- unmarried mother (23).

A further 24 CLAN members reported that they did not know the reasons they were put 'in care'. Forgotten Australians have only recently been able to access their files - and not all have been able to do so yet.

So you can see, the trauma of war and its relationship to alcohol can have a devastating effect on family life and the capacity of parents to look after their kids.

While there can be no doubt that many kids who stayed with their families did it really tough especially when dad was drunk, the documented evidence of rape, abuse and neglect in children's institutions is overwhelming. The states, churches and charities had a strictly legal, as well as moral, duty of care which they failed to carry out.

Huffnpuff,
You are right in that the forgotten Australians are the same as the stolen generation. I doubt that any on OLO would not support you. When I read about the lives of some kids it makes me appreciative of my upbringing.

How can we help you in your endeavours?

My grammar, punctuation and spelling leaves a lot to be desired, but I think you also could do with some help in this regard. I know from my political experiance that the simplier and easier you make it for editors, the more likely your releases/statements will be published and the more notice politicians will take of your representations.

I hope someone here on OLO who is a former teacher, journalist will offer to give you some professional tuition in writing skills.

It is important that your messages receive the widest, and best, possible publicity.

Will you post an email address or arrange a way a person can contact you?

Keep on fighting. Do not give up. Best of luck.

I would like to refer to huffnpuff's comment about the apology from the Rudd Govt. There is one thing that you are neglecting to comment on here and that is that we as a nation were STOLEN from our mothers, fathers, families, tribe, culture and traditions. We were taken from all that we knew and made to conform to a foreign way of life - for our benefit. This of course was deemed from a white person's perspective. My grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and family's were flogged, patronised, demeaned, abused and defiled all in the name of assimilation - again from a white man's perspective. My people were taken from all that we knew in the name of white supremacy, domination and assimilation. This was so the white man could wipe out my culture, tradition and race.

I would like to share with you a comment made by one Donald MacDonald 1893, from "A Clash of Cultures" by Heather Wearne (1980), Part A p.5,
"We are indeed a civilising race...when we came here the Aborigines covered these wide plains in thousands. Where are they today? We have 'civilised' them - they are dead".

I am sorry for your obvious sorrow huffnpuff however, you still have your culture, family, language, identity, acknowledgement and acceptance of mainstream Australia.

This apology is not about who should get what, where, when - this is about acknowledgement of the raping of a race of people, a denigration of people. My people were raped and abused because we were/are deemed unworthy of air. So if you are looking for a race, we win.

I do not think the post above mine was needed, it breaks my life time rule.
ALL MEN ARE EQUAL
I may be able to help, with others help that is.
An international union activist page exists, I am just one member.
Not this page but something like it [ the union page] could be of help to any group any crusade.
We give our e mail addresses, it is safe to do so.
Each week we get active campaign information, say a petition, we send our answers to the boss we are opposing .
It could be federal or state governments or all Medea, why not?
We get about 2500 at least from all over the world every campaign.
What site could host our demands for a full Royal Commission inquiry into these matters now?
Never forget that child in north Queensland is one of thousands of Aboriginal kids who fit huffnpuff story.
If such a page can be put together I would be glad to be there

Rainbowmurri,
If you read the report on the link that Vanilla gave us, above, you will see that many indigenous kids ended up in the same institutions refered to by Huffnpuff.

The report makes for depressing reading but shows there is a link to the 'stolen generation'

In the town I grew up in, the local orphanage had some indigenous kids that went to school locally with the other inmates.

Dear huffnpuff (Michael),

For what it's worth I emailed the Prime Minister asking him to include the Forgotten Australians in his apology to the Aboriginal people.

Perhaps if some of the posters on this thread were to do the same - it would have a greater impact on the PM.

So how about it everyone?

Do your bit for the Forgotten Australians.

Please?

Who could argue against the need for reparations for forgotten Australians.

However, the difference is for Indigenous Australians is that brothers and sisters, their mothers and fathers, and wider family were all effected or institionalised.

This is very different from white families who has one or two people endure the horrid treatment in one or two institutions in one or at the most two generations within the same family.

My own stolen generation family stories goes back to the 1850's.
This is very diffent

I have emailed and wrote to every man and his dog about this foxy thanks for encourageing all of us in here thanks micheal

to bango i only got educated to six class at primary school so im sorry if my spelling is a bit hows ya going i learnt to spell myself and with the help of my kids so if i get it wrong sorry but i feel its close enough this site keeps me going and i know there are a lot of people in here that support me and i carnt say thanks enough cheers to you all micheal

If you look even a side ways glance we here in this forum get involved mostly in threads that follow 3 lines.
Religion, child welfare, Animal welfare.
Sadly we mostly just post not true involvement , Foxy did her best, she e mailed.
I did not introduce union activism into the thread to promote unions, but to use the idea to help issues.
Find the time to read a story in todays national news paper the Australian.
It highlights further wrongs done to teenage children in QLD.
It highlights failure from my side of politics, total failure, failure that should see department heads and Minister fall.
Yet it is the way this country both party's does things.
Of more concern to our Polly's is costs, along with hiding the truth, we are bound to never fix this or any issue unless we do tell the world of our failure.
Few of us, believe me I know, will bother to act, huffnpuff has, public service judge such as just trouble makers.
You need numbers to get action, for the handful who will act print out twenty copy's of your letter, send them to every one who needs to know.
Minister and opposition, papers and church, ask each to send it on.
But only numbers can do it.
annoy anyone who may help, those who fear truth being uncovered must get every letter too.
No party loyalty the end justifies the means the only target is justice and true change.
Foxy have you considered posting that e mail address? huffnpuff good luck never ever give in can we all take a second to think what if it was us? or our child?
And can I ask what if 2.000 of us sent that e mail to 20 different people in power to change would it help?

Huffnpuff,
I feel so sorry for ALL abused kids, whether at home or in institutions and those in war zones and those sold into slavery.

You are doing OK in your efforts to get this issue attended to. I am impressed with your willingness to have a go and am aware how much effort it takes to keep going.

Not being a professional, the only suggestion I would venture to give you is to take note of the posts of Rainier, foxy, Frank Gol and Vanilla and see how they are set out and how easy they are to read. Try to set yours out the same way and find out about 'spell check' and use it.

I just occured to me that you can find out from your local MP who, on that Committee in 2004, is still in Parliament, then write to them. Tell them who you are and ask them what is happening to the Committee's recomendations. They must have been affected by the evidence heard and it won't hurt to remind them. I will do that also.

Best of luck.

Huff'npuff,

Although referred to as the "forgotten" generation you have already ensured that this name is no longer applicable - at least to OLO readers and to the people whom you continue to contact. Simply by doing what you have done so far you have already made a difference, which is a much bigger achievement than many people manage to make in their entire lifetimes.

Well done, you. I just know you are going to achieve what you set out to do.

Respect,

Huffnpuff,
Here are the Senators that were on the "Forgotten Australians" inquiry in 2004 and still sit in the senate.

They are Senators Eric Abetz, Lyn Allison, Guy Barnett, Andrew Bartlett, Mark Bishop, Grant Chapman, Helen Coonan, Trish Crossin, Alan Eggleston, Chistopher Evans, John Faulkner, Alan Ferguson, Micheal Forshaw, John Hogg, Gary Humphries, Steve Hutchins, Phillip LIghtfoot, Joesph Ludwig, Kerry Nettlr, Marise Payne, Julian McGauran, Jan McLucas (Chairman), Brett Mason, Claire Moore, Andrew Murray, John Watson, Ruth Webber.

Letters can be sent to these Senators, Parliament House, Canberra,ACT.

Of those listed above 8 will be retiring as at 30 June, 2008. These are Senators Allison, Barlett, Chapman, Lightfoot,Murray, Nettle, Watson, Webber.

I will write to these Senators and ask which recomendations, if any, of their report have been acted upon to date and seek their assurance that they will bring the issue to their parties and the Senates attention ASAP. I hope you and others will do likewise as it certainly will do no harm to remind them. Remember politicians have many matters to divert their attention.

Of course other politicians can also be contacted, as I will contact my local member also.

Banjo

Good on you. Your suggestions and willingness to lend support are valued and much appreciated.

Not all the Senators who are listed as on the Community Affairs References Committee actually sat on the particular inquiry that led to the Forgotten Australians Report. They take it in turns to sit on different inquiries.

Although it will do no harm - and may do a lot of good - to send messages to all the Senators you list, those who actually sat on the Forgotten Australians inquiry were:

Jan McLucas (Chair), Sue Knowles (Deputy Chair), Gary Humphries, Steve Hutchins, Claire Moore and Andrew Murray. Andrew Murray is retiring in June but he has been the driver in this area and continues to be deeply interested. He was himself a child migrant sent to the then Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and understands the issues very well indeed. We will miss him - one of the few really decent politicians.

The Forgotten Australians Report suffered from bad timing. We had the bad luck to see it tabled in the Senate on the very day that John Howard announced the 2004 election. From then on, the media were reluctant to devote time and space to the story.

The Report is still available online at http://www.aph.gov.au/senate_ca
Hard copies can still be obtained by calling the secretariat on (02) 6277 3515
or by emailing community.affairs.sen@aph.gov.au

It makes disturbing reading but it is an integral part of Australian history.

Thank both of you, I will write to every one of them now, post in the morning .
While my earlier posts may have looked like union promotion it was never intended to be.
That tool is an activists dream 4.000 concerned e mails for most issues, in one week.
If we could find room in an existing page, to put up a campaign with address ever a letter for those who do not want to write their own, well its a dream but bet you one day we will see it.
Again thanks and true regards for the list

hi everyone sorry haven;t been on line as machine has had bad virious , ,i thank you all for what you are doing ,im having trouble in finding all parliment members email addresses ,i have the house of representativesand also the list of senate but can not find all other members so can anyone help me as i want to get emails to everyone that is in our parlimen on both sides and those who are just in parliment , i had to go to the libiary and use their computor just to check my emails ,as im not computor expert but i got my machine back today and i had trojans that wiped a lot of my stuff out , well , i have still been trying my hardest for the forgotten australians , i know parliment is on next week and i have only those of the senate and the house of reps emails but none of the ones i really should be getting , im only going to send the a short email ,in asking them to bring to the attention of the prime minister about the forgotten australians , so if any of you out their could help i would appriciate it and again thank you for your surport,

Regards huffnpuff my letters have gone in this format
my name ext
Senator with respect
I write in relation to your role in the senate committee on the forgotten Australians.
It had the misfortune to see the report handed down on the same day as the 2004 election was called.
May I ask have any of the recommendations be put in place?
What ones have not been acted on?
At a time we see our country about to say sorry[ with my support] to Aboriginals It seems clear we have much to Be sorry for in this issue.
I am sure you share my pride in this country and hope you share my wish that we never again let such dreadful things happen to those we have in our care.
May I with nothing but respect say the continuing almost daily news of new failures in child welfare concerns me and that I hope it concerns you too.
I include the cabinet all of it in this mail out they get an extra letter see it below.

thanks for the help belly but how do i get everyones email addresses as im going full on with this , ,its surprised me have i got the viriouses in my computor all of a sudden , anyway i will wait till i hear from you or someone again also my email is michealjbrown@hotmail.com so if anyone needs me send things to it as gibbo asked for my email as to giving me help with spelling and setting things out , i thank you all again micheal, ps make sure you spell my name the same as i spelt it here ok as this is how i spell my name

With respect name of Cabernet person.
I write to explain the attached letter and full of hope we may yet see a better outcome for our children.
Without shame I am an ALP member the letter went to those senators who sat on the committee about the forgotten Australians.
I write to you for one reason, to ask you to help end this painful series of events as much as we can by saying sorry to them too.
And to underline the dreadful stories emerging almost daily about death and pain inflicted on children in our proud country.
I am full of hope if we the ALP can not put in place a better way who can?
But we must not fail we must understand these children deserve nothing but our very best
regards congrats and let the joy of our great victory continue on.
That joy however is a reminder of why we wanted to win , and our duty to govern better.
But no joy if we fail our kids.

Huffnpuff,
Bad luck about the virus in your PC. These things tend to happen at most inconvienient times.

Just to let you know that I have printed off the first batch of letters to the Senators and to my local member. I send letters by snail mail to politicians as the Parliament does not appear to publish email addresses for them. Even though I include my email address they seem to always send their replies by snail mail. Maybe that is just the way they do things.

Anyway the letters will be mailed when I get to town, in the naext few days.

It is almost unbelievable if none of the 39 recomendationa have not yet been acted upon. Lets hope we can get things moving. Good luck.

i agree 100% with huffnpuff sure say sorry to the aboriginals but say sorry to all kids past and present that were let down by the government docs..... docs means did our children survive ...... well some did and some didnt and they have to live with these crimes that happened to them to huffnpuff keep up your fight and never give up thats what there waiting for you to do so hang in there you have a lot of people behind you ok isatoy

oh my god i just was looking up daruk boys home and i come across a web site call kokyprik.com in the behind the walls stories there is a micheal brown in there and oh my god if its you huffnpuff i carnt believe what i just read and seen if this is you let me know as it made me cry all you people need to have a look at this site you will get the shock of your life.i am so sorry if this is the way the government treats people god help us .If you do decide to take a look at this site the story is the spiralling affects of the system and click also on a closer look at the situation huffnpuff if its you let me know as i will do all i can to help you . OH MY GOD IT HAS TO BE YOU as it has the same email address in your comments in this site i feel sick to my stomach that after reading about a micheal brown in this site im so sorry for you i can only hope that the others have a look at this site if it is you i care and im sorry on behalf of all people of australia im not the prime minister but i think he should take a look and i hope he can sleep after he reads it . please let me know huffnpuff as i am upset isatoy

____________>

its not surprising to me that the same people offering support here to Michael have vigorously rallied in other topic forums against any acknowledgment or support for Indigenous Stolen Generations.. I could spend all day cutting and pasting their vexatious comments as evidence to support my claim. but I won’t ...it just shows you how racism operates and thus informs how double standards are created and rationalised to suite..

__________________>

this is for isatoy i thank you for your surport and yes that is me that you read about sorry if it had upset you though that way things go when people want you to shut up but i won;t shut up no more
AS for you rainer i don;t understand where you are coming from with the racist -ull-hit is comming from as no one is being racist this happen to us forgotten australians and peolpe like you just don;t want the truth been told you say you want to copy and paste stuff well do it as the aboriginies were in these state run institutions as well are the going to double dip when the forgotten australians get an apology as that is what it is feeling like i really don;t see or hear any aboriginies in hear complianing about what i write as i said many times this was just not the aboriginies that had rapes and abuse done to them when they were taken from their homes or just placed into these homes from doing wrong you forget the aboriginies when they had their land rights march they were given back land ,also compensation where does that leave as forgotten australians ,of which their were aboginial decendents where in these institutions that the australian goverment run , we are as equal as those of the stolen generation how do we know you are for real as you say we or people placing comments in here are racist well they are not
you best go and read the senate inquiries the forgotten australians both reports then tell me where are people in here are being racist its real what happend to me when i was a child and i don;t care any more about the negitive people are in this site writting maybe if you were in some of the same homes or institutions you would know what it was like so as i say if it good enough to say sorry to the stolen generation its good enough to say sorry to the forgotten australian

Huffnpuff

One day, the Forgotten Australians will shed that skin and be known as the Remembered Australians.

Wouldn't that be something, eh?

huffnuff, well why are you piggy backing on our struggles? Go organise your own mate, stop sucking on what you don't understand or care about..

Rainier

So huffnuff is "piggy backing on our struggles"?...

"Our"?

Since when have you owned OLO? What an arrogant turd, you are! Wouldn't surprise me if you are a closet Christian.

Frangol,

Struggle as in Stolen Wages, Stolen Land, Stolen Children and institional racism.

How you ever deduced that i was claiming ownership of OLO I have not idea.

But then again you can't help it that lots of wierd things occur in that tiny little mind of yours can you, poor thing.

rainer just letting you know im not piggy backing here as i stated that the forgotten australians are just as equal as that of the stolen generation , you seem to me as being a aboriginie by saying im piggy backing are you aboriginie or just part aboriginie
it seems your mind is very small as the sufferiing was done to all races in these homes
did or did not the aboriginies have land given back and compensation given to them
frank yes it would get up a lot of noses if we were called the remebered australians
AS i said im here to get justice for the forgotten australians and victims that suffered just as i did in these institutions that the australian goverment had run
so now in rainers view the forgotten australians are worth nothing and are nobody
will you say that to the prime minister when he gives you your apology rainer also i know a lot more about the aboriginies than you think rainer as it might be a good idea if you read all my post i have placed in this site and on the web
its a shame that their are some un hearted people that get in here
By the way rainer you haven;t gotten to me it has just shown how inmature your mind is as i think your elders would be disapointed in what you have said
for us forgotten australians we will fight on as we have been doing and when we are told sorry i will be the first to say to you rainer don;t double dip when we get our apology ,
their should be a policy here where everyone is equal but i guess the way the goverment of australia is they are still covering up the forgotten australians ,

thank to those who give us forgotten australians surport

rainier,1. what gives you the right to judge a person or people. 2.if you look up the history of the stolen generation there was 100 thousand children stolen approx if i am right there is 500 thousand white and ethnic children taken from there families big big difference 400 thousand more with half of them not knowing where they belong trying to exist in society and live the norm as we put it i carnt believe how selfish you are frank was right in what he said to you he hit the nail on the head and i hope that huffnpuff does not take your comment to heart i lost a good friend on anzac day last year he was a forgotten australian he had had enough and chose the easy way out .most people are lucky to have someone to talk with and have people in all sorts of forums so they can get things off there chest and be able to communicate with people that care i do and i dont care what you think you are way no better off than huffnpuff and many others at least you get will get your apology .i believe in fairness for all. those who won lifes lottery and had parents that loved and cared for them they are the ones who got the greatest gift and i hope they appreciate what they have some dont have that chance everyone deserves justice white black ethnic if you read huffs comments you will see he fully supports your apolgy im sorry but he and 499 thousand others deserve it to ok and i am not racist either and i am not interested in your comments any more either rainier ok i fell sorry for you and you are selfish and small minded isatoy

Cut and past Rainier but you get no award for being wrong, if your post is not racist none ever has been.
You claim in some way the dreadful acts committed are lessor if they happened to whites, that seems to me to be your intent.
I want to say sorry, but I also want to say sorry here in this thread for what has been no lessor a crime.
Both crimes point even now today to the fact we who are so proud of our country still fail to protect out children.
Welfare? the word makes me vibrate with anger it is a lie.
It is sad but true racists do live in every color Creed and religion including the Aboriginal one.
Saying sorry, I know we must will change nothing about that.
Huffnpuff is doing something we must do educating this whole country about our failures.
May we also be held accountable all of us, for our actions.
Review your actions rainier why did you need to Post those posts?
Do you understand some if not a very lot of the stolen generation are also the forgotten Australians?
Is one wrong more wrong that another?
While you and I have clashed before this time you disappoint me more than any other fair go mate.

hi to all out their
thanks again of those who suport the forgotten australians ,
(1) rainer i have gone through a lot of your comments and i am so disgust with what you have written as you are an aboriginal you say ,so why are you saying that i am piggy backing ,

you don;t seem to have a lot of intelingence as it is correct as to what other members of the forum say ,aboriginies are also apart of the forgotten australians and i don;t think your elders would be happy as to what you have wrote when you are at canberra on wensday bring it to your elders attention as to how you are running done the forgotten australians as they them self will diss own you as your culture where in these institutions of which are named in the senate inquiries

i for one don;t give a rats about your opinion towards me as you might as well be the same as those in the goverment of who are covering up what we forgotten australians suffered,

and don;t give me rubbish about the aboriginal heritage as im fully aware of it ,as was married to and aboriginal ,and have two aboriginal children who have more respect for their culture than you do .

frank foxy beely and all others here that are trying to help and also isaty as i have not heard from you latley and i thank you for your email,

all i can say is rainer when the goverment says sorry to the forgotten australians don;t you come back for seconds and make out you are a forgotten australian , as it seems you have no idea about us forgotten australians ,and it is people like you who your aboriginal culture will have no more to do with you

RED ALERT

TONIGHTS NEWS SAYS THE STOLEN GENERATION ARE NOW SEEKING COMENSATION, CHANNEL NINE NEWS FEBUARY 10/02/2008.

FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS ARE EQUAL RAINER SO LET YOUR ELDERS KNOW OK

you make a lot of assumptions in your last statement puffy,
and its clear you don't know the Australian, Aboriginal and dispossession history at all..or sppear to imply that you don't need to..

For the record - I support the banning of all institional human rights abuses, have for a long time, like you i grew up in an institution but my placement in this was not because i was white, lower class but simply because of my apparent race.

The history of policy making specifically aiemd at the removal, internment, extermination, and indeed genocide of Aboriginal people preceeded federation and were policies that informed the processes that enabled what is proudly called the peaceful settlement of this nation.

This nation was created for institionalising human beings but the ones who payed the biggest price over a longer period were not the ones you speak of.

You and others will no doubt disagree with this and thats your choice.
But don't compare apples with oranges just for the sake of it. Yes they are both fruit but they come off very different trees.

Yes forgotten Australian in some fundamental ways similar to Stolen Generations, but they are not the same.

When you can track this abuse across and upward in your immediate family tree its not the same as what you speak of.

Forgot to say huffnuff, this is a forum on the web, not the real world, if you are putting any faith in real support coming from people here forget it. Many live in this virtual jungle because sadly, thats all they can do. If you want my help, that's not problem, its what i do.

Come Rainier settle drag it in the dirt if you like say what you want but I have already acted.
Sent 27 letters via snail mail one to a former unionist who was on that committee.
He unfortunately last time I heard had cancer, do not under value others efforts.
I remember am blood uncle to kids from your community and have written thousands of letters such as those above.
IF ONLY MORE WOULD.
Yes most do not few only of us are true activists Foxy is such a person so it seems are you.
Can you not see the dreadful wrongs of most stolen generation story's is shown to continue here in the forgotten Australians story.
That the children of the stolen generation suffered as forgotten Australians too?
EVERY WEEK, we see this country even now has not learned to look after its children.
Saying sorry is only a start we must force our government to ban white wash and sack ministers and public servants freely for failing.

RAINER ,THIS IS THE REAL WORLD AND ITS LIVE ON THE NET OR ELSE THIS FORUM WOULD NOT BE HERE

P.S MAMMA SHIRL WOULD BE DISSAPOINTED WITH SOME OF YOUR POST IF SHE WERE STILL ALIVE ,

SEE RAINER I KNOW MORE THAN YOU THINK OR COULD IMAGINE ,

TO ALL OTHERS OUT THEIR I SENT EMAILS TO ALL SENATORS CAN ONLY HOPE IT WILL DO SOME GOOD FOR THE FORGOTTENM AUSTRALIANS ,

ANYWAY IM GOING TO HAVE A REST FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BUT I WILL BE LOOKING IN ON THE POST BUT WON;T BE PUTTING ANY COMMENTS IN UNTIL TUESDAY ,HOPEFULLY THEN WE WILL KNOW WHAT WILL BE IN THE STOLEN GENERATIONS APOLOGY ,

ALSO MY EMAIL ADRESS IS michealjbrown@hotmail.com

if anyone wants to contact me personally ,and if your email contians abuse it will be rejected just letting those who despies the forgotten australians . take care all regards micheal .

DIDN;T MEAN TO YELL BUT IT WAS NEEDED FOR RAINERS ATTENTION

Citing Mum Shirl Smith is hardly evidence of your knowledge Puffy. She was a well known activist and I hardly think you can claim to know what she would have thought of my comments. And it’s highly disrespectful to even to imply what she may have though just to support your own arguments. But I can understand why you don’t understand this as you are very culturally different to either my Mum Shirl or me.

And you didn’t address any on the points I made about history and SG but perhaps you are unable to for other reasons I won’t go into here.

Belly, yes I can see your perspective. It’s just that over the last 11 years of conservative rule we witnessed the use and abuse of the SG history for purely ideological political reasons. Howard and many others stood on the backs of Aboriginal people who had already suffered enough and proclaimed that they were liars. They are not! Let us bury our dead, care for our grieving, find ways to heal. This simple and respectful protocol is something that HUFFNUFF cannot understand.

And as I have said previously, I don’t think he even realises this himself

rainer im sorry to dssapoint you in any way but i have met and been in conversation with mamma shirl in the early eighties ,were you born then, im not getting into all of what i know as most has been posted but i am not and have never said do not apologize ,

the question is the forgotten australians suffed just as much as the stolen generation , of which is true and if you can not except that , you shouldn;t be excepting anyapology for you ,as to rest of the aboriginal culture my heart goes out to them and good on them for being apologized to

only if the australian goverment would have the same compassion for the forgotten australians
we all suffered whether it was me or your people ,but we all suffered the rapes and abuse of which occurred not only to the forgotten australians but that of the aboriginies , ,

as i said we are real victims as well , and yes i have many friends that are aboriginials .and i beleave those who have had wrong done to them need justice as that of us forgotten australians ,

the thing is rainer you think i don;t know what is going on ,its like this ,if mr rudd didn;t say sorry what would happen .also i heard on the news that the aborinies want the N.T intervention removed do you think this is a good idea ,

WE ARE ALL LIVING IN THE SAME COUNTRY AND IF ITS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAY SORRY TO YOU AND THE STOLEN GENERATION,ITS GOOD ENOUGH TO SAY SORRY TO US FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIAN

Wow, well I had a conversation with Gough Whitlam in the early 70's, however, this does not make me an expert on Labor politics.

To me it is clear that the intention of this GENREAL POST was not empathise with Aboriginal people at all because you deliberatly separate stolen generations from fogetten generation by implying one is black and the other is white - but then you throw Aboriginal people into you mix when it suites. A clever wedge yes, but very obvious and stupid.

I think you are a very confused man and while you deserve tremendous sympathy and support for what you went through, this does not entitle you to be a boof-head that everyone must except because of this abuse.

Rainier huffnpuff like myself did not have much formal education.
This inability to spell properly and a total failure to begin to understand grammar is no bar to expressing ideas and view we gain in the university of life.
Huffnpuff Carry's the weight of a dreadful life, things that should never have happened to a human being have hurt deeply.
If we care less for those people we may as well not say sorry, no, not that some of the stolen generation suffered as we say they did.
We will soon hear the shouts of some who understand little of the issue, but young children got dragged away because they had some white blood.
A country that used them as house slaves while sometimes using the parent the same way.
But if your pain does not include these forgotten Australians too, if it fails to understand British children taken away from parents too told those parents are dead!sent to this country and treated dreadfully
If our care and understanding is only for some we are worthless.
Tomorrow I feel I will be proud of my leader and most of my country.
But it is only a start you will not like it, you will claim it is evidence of my racism but some from within your community must make an effort to change too.
My party in my view in the NT and QLD in NSW and maybe more continues today to fail children.
In my view ,honestly held from the day white man came to this country we have not looked after our children .
The part the church has played is no less than shameful.
Tomorrow should be the first day of a new era we must protect our children all of them or fail as a nation.

I am 100% in support of saying sorry to the Stolen Generation, and I would extend that apology to all Indigenous Australians for the theft of their land, the massacres at the hand of squatters and soldiers and the long-term treatment of Indigenous people as second-class citizens. I am appalled at the low levels of health and education, the poverty and lack of employment and high levels of alcoholism and child mortality, neglect and abuse.

I can't wait for the official apology on Wednesday. It's a very long time overdue.

I also believe that the Forgotten Australians who were abused and neglected in and out of institutions tell a parallel story (many Indigenous children were among the Forgotten Australians too). There is no competition between the Stolen Generation and the Forgotten Australians. They should be supporting one another. While there are significant differences in their histories, they share a lot in common.

I have agitated for the Government to say sorry to the Stolen Generation, and I will continue to agitate for the Government to say sorry to the Forgotten Australians. This nation desperately needs healing and a resolve to be more generous of spirit.

Huffnpuff,
Want to let you know that my letters to the Senators on the 'Forgotten Australians" committee were sent today. Plus one to my local MP and one to another Senator who lives in town nearby.

I don't understand Rainier, as an academic I thought he would research matters before commenting on them. Not so in this instance.

Even a cursoary look at the 'Forgotten Australians' would reveal that kids of aboriginal heritage were sent to mixed ethnicity institutions. In the 'Bringing them Home' report,page 187, it shows that of the 369 witnesses that gave evidence only 25% were sent to Homes exclusively for those of aboriginal heritage, yet 27% were in Mixed Homes. 14% were sent straight to foster care or adopted, while 24% were in Homes then sent to foster care.

Both reports mention some of the same Homes and what struck me was that the evidence given was virtually the same at both inquiries. Their treatment and reasons given for their removal. Apparently it was not all bad as some told of good experiences in Homes and in foster care and adoption. But in the main, the conditions went from bad to terrible.

I don't know how Rainier missed this and just assumed the 'Forgotten Australians' was only dealing with white kids. I respect him for his academic acheivements, especially with his background, but he has a big chip on his shoulder. He has to understand that not all people without aboriginal heritage are racist. I certainly wish him well.

Kids need to be removed from situations of risk, they have to be, and where our society really failed them was not ensuring they were put in safe and proper care. Lots simply were taken from a bad family or tribal situation and put in another bad situation.

I hope that in the washup of all this there will be proper recognition of the treatment most of the kids endured and we see that it is not repeated in future. Good luck

Banjo,

I've never really claimed to be an academic, either here or in public.
So where you got that from heaven knows.

Perhaps its just a case of whitefellas never having dealt with a blackfella who knows the English language? I know this may be scary for some, but mostly edifying or a non-issue for most.

As yes, not all whitefellas are racist; some of them are my best friends :)

The overall emphasis I was trying (albeit failing) to remind people here is that while the outcomes for SG and FG's are and were the same in terms of abuse and institutionalisation, the historical fact is that Indigenous people/children were removed simply and most significantly on the basis of being "Aboriginal".

Government Policy was crafted intensely focused on Aboriginal people as one section of the population. This began as early as the early 1800's. This was well before those institutions that are referred to by FG proponents were built.

If this cannot be understood as and entirely different social, political and economic contexts to that of the FG’s then I can't be held responsible for you not having the capacity to discern the differences. I can only try to explain

Read my previous comments to Huffy on his attempts to selectively divide and then include (when it suites) SG's into his FG's equations.

Similarly but NOT exactly the same, those who went to Vietnam experienced a different war to those who went OS in WW2.

They deserve our admiration and support but we must also understand the differences in their stories.

I've stayed away from this thread until now, but I have to say that I concur completely with FrankGol's most recent comment :)

Same here CJ; and the same re.Frank Gol's post.

yeah so do i cj, even if he did call me a turd, :

Yeah Rainier - still not sure where that came from.

I, for one, think you're anything but a turd :)

Rainier

I'm sorry for calling you a turd. I misunderstood what you meant.

well one day left for the stolen generation and good for them now lets get the forgotten austrlians apology,

i wish the aborinies all the best for the future and i suport them and always will , i can only hope they do the same for us forgotten australians ,

FRANK,sent emails to every senator and also to all the new parliment as soon as they see who its from i guess it will be swept in the bin like they have done with the forgotten austrlians reports, .

i only hope that they don't do that as we are real victims and will not be forgotten

regards micheal i won't give up and i hope all other forgotten australians don't give up.

and hello to you rainer all the best with your apology your culture deserves it no hard feelings with the yelling it get to you as you know your self ,

regards micheal

Huffnpuff and Frank Gol,
Of al the emails I sent, I have heard back from Andrew Murray and it seems more positive than I expected.

I you are interested please let me know.

Banjo

Andrew Murray is the best of the lot (although unfortunately he is retiring from the Senate in July). He has written lots of good papers on the topic and was instrumental in getting the Senate to do its inquiry in 2003-04.

Another person who should be responsive is Richard Marles, the new Member for Corio (Geelong).

Thanks for your support.

If you are able, it would be good if you could send copies of any letters to CLAN PO Box 164 St Georges, NSW 2198 or email them at support@clan.org.au

CLAN stands for Care Leavers Network of Australia and is the best of the care leaver organisations.

Frank Gol and Huffnpuff,
My support is the least I can do. My high school had a number of Home kids and we had no idea of the things they endured (50 years ago).

Andrew Murray tells me that all states, except SA and the Teritories, have issued an apology, which is something. Because of the PM's speech last Wednesday he is working toward the same for the other Forgotten Australians.

He also sent me copies of 'Lost Inncents' and 'Protecting Vulnerable Childre', which I am reading now. It seems quite a number are activly promoting the needs of the 'Forgotten Children and he asked me to write to the PM, which I will do.

It will be interesting to see if the present Government takes more interest than the previous one. However I can understand them saying that many of the reports recomendations were the responsibility of State Governments, which is correct as they were the law making body and responsible for State Wards.

You blokes probably already know this stuff, but others reading this may not.

If I get any further replies that are more interesting than just acknowledgement of letter received, I will let you know via this thread and I will send the letter on to CLAN

Best of luck with this.

HI to all THE FORGOTTEN AUSTALIANS OUT THEIR

I have been reading a lot of the post lately and i see their are many wanting to help and others just think we are a waste of space

banjo ,frank and all others letting you all know i to did send every parliment member an email in respect to getting some attention for us FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS

so far i have only one reply and that was from sue ellery and all she said to me keep my fight up

i had a lot that were rejected and i know it wasn;t the wrong emails address just is as soon as they see a message from me they must be putting them in the bin just really shows how much a bunch of gutless members in parliment as they still don't have the balls to raise this issue in the parliment

i watch them on parliment tv and they hurl abuse at each other yet they can not even have the guts to mention the FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS .

WHY ? BECAUSE THEY KNOW I SPEAK THE TRUTH OF WHAT WE SUFFERED AS CHILDREN AND THEY HAVE NOT THE BALLS TO SPEAK OUT IF IT HAPPEND TO A FRIEND OR A CHILD THEY NEW I GUESS IT WOULD BE DIFFRENT

ANYWAY I THANK ALL WHO HAVE TRIED TO GET US SOME HELP TO GET SOME REAL TRUTH FROM THE GOVERMENT OF WHICH IS STILL COVERING UP THE ABUSES THAT WE OCCURRED AS CHILDREN

Also just letting everyone know i am a member of clan care leavers network australia and they them self have been fighting for the FORGOTTEN AUSTRALIANS

so if the goverment wants me to take action into my own hands just tell them to ring me as they all have my home address and phone and fax numbers as i named the two pedophiles to them all pluss their names are in the court transrcipts the people who raped me when i was a child and this goverment is still protecting them because they worked for them at daruk boys home

Huffnpuff,
This may be old hat to you and you have probably been over it a dozen times, but would you not get better results by tackling the State Governments, as they were the ones responsible for State Wards and the supervision of the childrens Homes.

The Federal Government has no authority over State Governmets, only over the Teritories.

I would not be surprized if you say you have been fobbed off there also. But keep trying. Also do you combine your efforts with others like the child migrants that were brought out here?

Huffnpuff,
It just occured to me. Can you find out how many CLAN members are members of political parties? Get them to raise the issue of prosecuting those abusers that are stil alive, at their branch meetings and see if some will take it to state level.

I think Belly is a member of the ALP and he has already sent letters, so maybe he will also raise the issue at his branch.

I am not a member of any political party, but that will not stop me from writing to the local branches in my area, about the issue.

Good luck.

Frank Gol and huffnpuff,
If you happen to see this, I am sorry to say that Andrew Murray was the only reply I got from all the letters I sent to senators and to my local member. Pretty poor effort by them I think.

Banjo

Thank you for making the effort. Wish there were more like you - willing to have a go.

Your experience tallies with other people's experience, however. I'd write back and tell them that you and lots of your friends are thinking of running a campaign in marginal seats at the next election, but you would go soft on those MPs who offer to support the Forgotten Australians.

We are also encouraging people to make a face-to-face appointment with their local Member. It's harder to say 'no' when you're being eyeballed.

huffnpuff
It is great you care and we are offering to provide legal services for plaintiffs
All you have to do is produce evidence- or they do.
We care and we are waiting
What else can I say. You may contact us via this web site. Same applies to Tapp or anybody else.
Lets actually do something. I was able for eg to contact a poster on another thread- aboriginal
Once offered sensible assistance he withdrew.
I like to be fair all round 'even' to the Government
Take care everybody and be kind to each other
After all at the end of the day thats all we have- each other

http://www.livexports.com/

hi to all forgotten australians im still here kicking and screaming
sent emails and faxes to every man and his dog only reply i got back was from sue ellery saying keep fighting dont stop
easy for them to say those kind of things anyone know where i can obtain a government that will listen there all deaf and have selected memories and there all corrupt how about some honest ones stand up ?is there any out there we know senator murray is the only one who has the balls and we are losing him he is retiring soon so leaves us not much i hope who ever replaces him is just as passionate as he was and we thank him big time anyway i will keep plugging i found a web site called forgotten australians ( i wetpaint ) might help some others out there as i joined it its free and they are willing to help us get our word out ok see yas all take care kind regards micheal

Thats is what I thought you would say.

Article in The Age today:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/pain-of-a-lost-childhood-remembered/2008/03/07/1204780065968.html

hi to all the forgotten australians i again thank all for helping

(1) live export i went to the web site but i didnt know how to get access into it let me know please as all help is needed for us forgotten australians i will go back into the site after i post this email and try again

(2) vanilla thanks for letting know about the article in the age i printed it out least their is one news paper willing to write things for us its a real shame what we suffered some worse than others though their was no need for any of this to happen to any of us forgotten australians and that of us being children i have meet ms sheedy many times and she is one lovely lady and has been trying to get justice for all of us for a long time as of her colleauges

(3) for all out their i can only hope that the goverment and the states will act for the better

(4) Now the australian goverment is taking away the carer payments from them and they are the people who look after people like me i find it copletlely disgraceful of what the goverment is doing not only to the forgotten australians But now that of the carers who care for a lot of us

(5) so the goverment can hand over multi millions of dollars to other countries yet they will not even help their own country and their own people of this country the money that the goverment is giving to other countries would be better use for our own people that are still suffering from the abuses they suffered when they were children

(6) when the goverment takes the cares payment away from the people who care for us is this a stage that they the goverment are going to end up making people to rebel and commit crimes

(7) its not only the forgotten australians who are going to suffer i now those who are careing for those in need

kind regards micheal

Seeing the publication of a story about the 'Forgotten Australians' in The Age on Saturday,
(http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/pain-of-a-lost-childhood-remembered/2008/03/07/1204780065968.html)
I wrote the follwoing short letter in response. It will be interesting to see if they publish it.

How tragic that the elderly ‘Forgotten Australians’ have to struggle into Victorian courtrooms to seek compensation for a lifetime of grief brought about by the State (‘Pain of a lost childhood remembered’, Carol Nader and Dewi Cooke 
The Age, March 8, 2008).

The Victorian government makes it next to impossible for those who grew up in their ‘care’ to seek redress for the years of vile abuse and shameful neglect. Queensland, Tasmania and WA have set up redress schemes but Victoria with record budget surpluses is mean-spirited and cold-hearted.

If social justice is to mean anything more than a cliché, Mr Brumby, it’s time to stop using legal muscle to prevent real justice. It’s not too late to care for the ‘Forgotten Australians’.