This is not something from Alabama USA, no it happened right here in Australia right up until fifty years ago, the exploitation of black people by whites. As many as 10,000 indigenous "workers" in Western Australia had their wages taken as part of a labour scheme operated under the Native Administration Act 1936 and Native Welfare Act 1963. A class action is being undertaken to right this grievous wrong done to indigenous Australians. The Western Australian government has indicated it will look to settle the matter outside court,

The Queensland government last year settled a class action relating to similar unpaid entitlements for $190m after a three-year battle. More than 30,000 claimants ultimately came forward. We cannot change the past, although many try to bury it with an out of sight, out of mind attitude, but there can be no proper reconciliation between the first Australians and the decedents of the new European arrivals until these kinds of injustices are resolved.

Yawn. This one gets dragged out regularly by people who have run out of things to whinge and bitch about. Things have changed in 50 years, and "slaves" are not paid wages in the first place.

Paul1405,

I bet there are a lot of dishonest and untrustworthy politicians, bureaucrats and business people who had been hoping that the Great Asianization Period (1980-2020) in Australian history had given rise to historical amnesia about such subjects.

Just when they think they have got all the taxpayers' cash from Soot and the boys neatly stuffed into their pockets along comes something like this to upset their little nesteggs.

But is this a Black-White issue anymore or a Black-Asian issue given that Australia is now an Asian nation-state?

Maybe we should refer to matter to the real decision-makers in Beijing.

Dear Paul,

We think that we know all about Australia's heroes
(and villains). We need to think again. I got quite
a shock reading about the life of Vincent Lingiari
And I guess the battles he inspired live on.

His is a reminder of time a poor stockman led a couple
of hundred folk off their worksite, and stared down
millionaires and ministers until they gave in. The man knew
where he stood and as Paul Kelly's song tell us -
"From Little Things Big things Grow!"

Lets hope that the same will apply here.

Thanks for raising this discussion.

Hi Foxy

Other than ttbn who will forget Vincent Lingiari. As I said many try to bury it with an out of sight, out of mind attitude, here we have a prime example. People like ttbn think if you pay a black fella a penny a day you're paying him too much.

Good song about Vincent Lingiari.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_ndC07C2qw&ab_channel=JimmyJones

In my own lifetime I have witnessed such exploitation of indigenous by their own people. PNG people were particularly common 'slaves' on the Far Nth Qld islands.
By the time I arrived in the late 70's, non-indigenous no longer used indigenous as the work ethics of the indigenous made them not viable to have around anymore.
it is recorded that a Railway gang consisting entirely of Torres Strait Islanders held & perhaps still holds the record for laying the longest stretch of railway line in a day.
There's even a film made in the 50's on that feat.
What was not stated in any of the records is that, these 'Islanders' weren't totally indigenous, they were descendants of South Pacific Pearling & Trochus Shell industry workers whose forefathers were brought here on occasions by Blackbirders but mostly as work Visa workers.
Many were treated badly as were many white workers. The Native Police Units are well recorded regarding their doings.
People nowadays make a huge issue of injustice out of Mainland Station Indigenous workers not having received payment hence the term "Stolen wages". These workers received food & commodities & shelter in return for their services. Only an insipid Academic would bring up the subject of no money being paid ! Were one to ask one of these Pseudo-intellectuals as to where & how the indigenous could have used money in the Bush would make an interesting answer !
The early days after the invasion of the colonisers were tough times indeed & frustration & desperation was the order of the day. The results were always harsh & in many cases unjustified !
Those who are now wallowing in the comfort of a safe society with welfare & no responsibility should reflect every now & then on the realities of the past instead of cashing in on the out-of-hand stories selectively recorded.