Another stolen generation: how Australia still wrecks Aboriginal families

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Another stolen generation: how Australia still wrecks Aboriginal families
The mass removal of Indigenous children from their parents continues unabated – where is the outrage?

The tape is searing. There is the voice of an infant screaming as he is wrenched from his mother, who pleads, "There is nothing wrong with my baby. Why are you doing this to us? I would've been hung years ago, wouldn't I? Because [as an Aboriginal Australian] you're guilty before you're found innocent." The child's grandmother demands to know why "the stealing of our kids is happening all over again". A welfare official says, "I'm gunna take him, mate."

This happened to an Aboriginal family in outback New South Wales. It is happening across Australia in a scandalous and largely unrecognised abuse of human rights that evokes the infamous stolen generation of the last century. Up to the 1970s, thousands of mixed-race children were stolen from their mothers by welfare officials. The children were given to institutions as cheap or slave labour; many were abused.

Described by a chief protector of Aborigines as "breeding out the colour", the policy was known as assimilation. It was influenced by the same eugenics movement that inspired the Nazis. In 1997 a landmark report, Bringing Them Home, disclosed that as many 50,000 children and their mothers had endured "the humiliation, the degradation and sheer brutality of the act of forced separation ... the product of the deliberate, calculated policies of the state". The report called this genocide.

Assimilation remains Australian government policy in all but name. Euphemisms such as "reconciliation" and "Stronger Futures" cover similar social engineering and an enduring, insidious racism in the political elite, the bureaucracy and wider Australian society. When in 2008 prime minister Kevin Rudd apologised for the stolen generation, he added: "I want to be blunt about this. There will be no compensation." The Sydney Morning Herald congratulated Rudd on a "shrewd manoeuvre" that "cleared away a piece of political wreckage in a way that responds to some of its own supporters' emotional needs, yet changes nothing".

Today, the theft of Aboriginal children – including babies taken from the birth table – is now more widespread than at any time during the last century. As of June last year, almost 14,000 Aboriginal children had been "removed". This is five times the number when Bringing Them Home was written. More than a third of all removed children are Aboriginal – from 3% of the population. At the present rate, this mass removal of Aboriginal children will result in a stolen generation of more than 3,300 children in the Northern Territory alone.

Pat (not her real name) is the mother whose anguish was secretly recorded on a phone as four department of child services officials, and six police, descended on her home. On the tape an official claims they have come only for an "assessment". But two of the police officers, who knew Pat, told her they saw no risk to her child and warned her to "get out of here quick". Pat fled, cradling her infant, but the one-year-old was eventually seized without her knowing why. The next morning a police officer returned to apologise to her and said her baby should never have been taken away. Pat has no idea where her son is.

Once she was "invited" by officials to bring her children to "neutral" offices to discuss a "care plan". The doors were locked and officials seized the children, with one of the youngest dragging on a police officer's gun belt. Many Indigenous mothers are unaware of their legal rights. A secretive children's court has become notorious for rubber-stamping removals.

Most Aboriginal families live on the edge. Their life expectancy in towns a short flight from Sydney is as low as 37. Dickensian diseases are rife; Australia is the only developed country not to have eradicated trachoma, which blinds Aboriginal children.

Pat has both complied with and struggled bravely against a punitive bureaucracy that can remove children on hearsay. She has twice been acquitted of false charges, including "kidnapping" her own children. A psychologist has described her as a capable and good mother.

Josie Crawshaw, the former director of a respected families' support organisation in Darwin, told me: "In remote areas, officials will go in with a plane in the early hours and fly the child thousands of kilometres from their community. There'll be no explanation, no support, and the child may be gone forever."

In 2012 the co-ordinator general of remote services for the Northern Territory, Olga Havnen, was sacked when she revealed that almost A$80m (£44m) was spent on the surveillance and removal of Aboriginal children compared with only A$500,000 (£275,000) on supporting the same impoverished families. She told me: "The primary reasons for removing children are welfare issues directly related to poverty and inequality. The impact is just horrendous because if they are not reunited within six months, it's likely they won't see each other again. If South Africa was doing this, there'd be an international outcry."

She and others with long experience I have interviewed have echoed the Bringing them Home report, which described an official "attitude" in Australia that regarded all Aboriginal people as "morally deficient". A department of family and community services spokesman said that most removed Indigenous children in New South Wales were placed with Indigenous carers. According to Indigenous support networks, this is a smokescreen; it does not mean families, and it is control by divisiveness that is the bureaucracy's real achievement.

I met a group of Aboriginal grandmothers, all survivors of the first stolen generation, all now with stolen grandchildren. "We live in a state of fear, again," they said. David Shoebridge, a state Greens MP, told me: "The truth is, there is a market among whites for these kids, especially babies."

The New South Wales parliament is soon to debate legislation that introduces forced adoption and "guardianship". Children under two years old will be liable – without the mother's consent – if "removed" for more than six months. For many Aboriginal mothers like Pat, it can take six months merely to make contact with their children. "It's setting up Aboriginal families to fail," said Shoebridge.

I asked Josie Crawshaw why. "The wilful ignorance in Australia about its first people has now become the kind of intolerance that gets to the point where you can smash an entire group of humanity and there is no fuss."

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/21/john-pilger-indigenous-australian-families

Bee will tell you this doesn't happen. The evidence will tell you it does.

Sassy wrote:Excuse me - aren't you the one who broke our friendship, weren't you the one who called me allsorts and I never have worked out why.   Didn't I phone you to try and sort it out?   You are the one who wouldn't know friendship and I've never watched Neighbours in my life.   I have watched quite a lot of stuff made by aboriginals themselves, and my, haven't you changed your tune, bending over backwards to accommodate Bee.   Must be very painful.

I've never said all aboriginals, but there are a very large number who are treated like shit, which you always said, but can't bring yourself to be honest anymore.

And I don't manipulate anyone, they all have brains and can work things out for themselves.   It seems that the same can't be said for you when it comes to Quill.

You are a piece of work you do know that dont you.
I cant be doing Sassy honestly I cant. I shall leave you the last word just as you like it except to say the only reason you phoned me was because FTL shamed you into it and then all you did was shout about Didge, Stephen, Quill and Victor. As I said then, nothing can ever change because you will not accept you have ever said or done one thing wrong.

You what?   FTL shamed me?   You are off your rocker, completely.    Shouted about Didge etc, I asked you what the fuck was it all about and never did get an answer.   Trouble is now, I can post as I like and you don't like it.   Well tough frankly.

PS I think most people can see who the bitch is.   Especially after the welcome back thread.   Gracious you ain't.

Funnily enough, I have just been reminded that on Speak, 'manipulating men' was leveled against you, but I was stupid enough to defend you and say it was rubbish. I think that says it all.

Sassy wrote:You what?   FTL shamed me?   You are off your rocker, completely.    Shouted about Didge etc, I asked you what the fuck was it all about and never did get an answer.   Trouble is now, I can post as I like and you don't like it.   Well tough frankly.

PS I think most people can see who the bitch is.   Especially after the welcome back thread.   Gracious you ain't.

Funnily enough, I have just been reminded that on Speak, 'manipulating men' was leveled against you, but I was stupid enough to defend you and say it was rubbish.   I think that says it all.

Finished now?   

In 2012 the co-ordinator general of remote services for the Northern Territory, Olga Havnen, was sacked when she revealed that almost A$80m (£44m) was spent on the surveillance and removal of Aboriginal children compared with only A$500,000 (£275,000) on supporting the same impoverished families. She told me: "The primary reasons for removing children are welfare issues directly related to poverty and inequality. The impact is just horrendous because if they are not reunited within six months, it's likely they won't see each other again. If South Africa was doing this, there'd be an international outcry."

This is a bloody disgrace and happening in our time. I would love to hear this being announced on the BBC, CNN ALL of the news media's

Stephenmarra wrote:

Bee, both Sass and I (and Nems if the truth was known) has said that it was originally  the British that first abused the Aborigines . Alas there's no getting away from it, they were YOUR forefathers.

Also, this amount of hostility just ain't right......

WRONG again, Stephen - but that's no great surprise.....

MY ancestry is largely Irish, Aboriginal and Scottish - only around 1/8 is English...

As always, you and Sassy again simply have no idea what is really happening down here ..     


AS FOR my level of "hostility" against Sassy's repetitive barbed attacks against me for nearly a year now ~ are YOU for real, Stephen' - you supercilious little twat !

MY amount of hostility is pretty well normal ~ considering the ongoing attacks against me..  
AND, just look at Veya's replies to this thread while you're about it...    

nicko wrote:
beekeeper,
please show where I've said anything racist.

AS LONG as you keep on standing by those racists such as BigAndy, Tommy and Baggs whenever i've slagged them off over their lies, why shouldn't I think that you share at least some of their racist and xenophobic leanings..

Is it racist to call you a pissed up Aussie?

NO, but it is still totallly false..
IT would be much more accurate to call me one "pissed off" (i.e. with the constant abuse..) Aussie !     

  

AND furthermore, Nicko ~ where are those "slums" that you and L'ilAndy keep claiming exist down around Sydney way !?!

Lone Wolf wrote:

Stephenmarra wrote:

Bee, both Sass and I (and Nems if the truth was known) has said that it was originally  the British that first abused the Aborigines . Alas there's no getting away from it, they were YOUR forefathers.

Also, this amount of hostility just ain't right......

  WRONG again, Stephen - but that's no great surprise.....

MY ancestry is largely Irish, Aboriginal and Scottish - only around 1/8 is English...

As always, you and Sassy again simply have no idea what is really happening down here ..     


AS FOR my level of "hostility" against Sassy's repetitive barbed attacks against me for nearly a year now ~ are YOU for real, Stephen' - you supercilious little twat !

MY amount of hostility is pretty well normal ~ considering the ongoing attacks against me..  
AND, just look at Veya's replies to this thread while you're about it...    

Och aye the noo Bee!

dear bee,the slums are the ones you live in,[they wasn't slums till you moved in] and again,please post where I have said anything racist! I haven't, so crawl back into your hovel and play with your boomerang! your are an obnoxious wanker.

nicko wrote:
dear bee,the slums are the ones you live in,[they wasn't slums till you moved in] and again,please post where I have said anything racist!  I haven't, so crawl back into your hovel and play with your boomerang! your are an obnoxious wanker.

   YOU don't have to say anything particularly racist, nicko ~ you simply have to keep on agreeing with those racist statements that the lkes of BigAndy, smelly', Tommy and Baggs' are making in every other post they write on here !

WHAT you choose to do can be just as damning as what you may say or write..
YOU could always decide someday not to support the racists on here, if you don't like the fallout !    

AS FOR the supposed "slums" that you claim that I live in, thicko ~ I will put my home, my neighbourhood and my region up against anything that you can offer.. Here's just a quick look at my location :
(I really can't do a lot better at such short notice, than what this motel just down the road has already put online..)

Again I say when have I supported racists just because I have not commented on smelly's or others posts does not make me a racist. pull your neck in mate and don't make comments that you can't back up. p.s.your proberly a nice bloke away from your lap top. Don't be a keyboard warrior.

nicko wrote:
bee does not like the british............

  

YOU lying piece of arrogant shite...

get stuffed yobbo,

captainJane wrote:
In 2012 the co-ordinator general of remote services for the Northern Territory, Olga Havnen, was sacked when she revealed that almost A$80m (£44m) was spent on the surveillance and removal of Aboriginal children compared with only A$500,000 (£275,000) on supporting the same impoverished families.

She told me: "The primary reasons for removing children are welfare issues directly related to poverty and inequality. The impact is just horrendous because if they are not reunited within six months, it's likely they won't see each other again. If South Africa was doing this, there'd be an international outcry."

This is a bloody disgrace and happening in our time. I would love to hear this being announced on the BBC, CNN ALL of the news media's

 
  CERTAINLY,  Miss 'Jane...

YOU may indeed have a good case to be screaming your indignation at such outrages from the tree tops..
If only the real world facts and situations were anywhere near as clear cut as that racist liar Sassy has been carelessly misrepresenting and cherry-picking on here ~ all to suit her anti-Australia hatred and her separate personal vendettas against me and veya !

ALAS, it isn't so..   And I don't believe you have even the faintest idea of what things are really like down here...

HAVE you ever visited Oz ?

HAVE you ever met an Aborigine ?
HAVE you ever talked to an Aborigine ?   

hey dick face,i spent 15 yrs in ozi even joined your army and was sent to Vietnam. "what did you do in the war daddy" nothing love ,I hid under the bed!! lmao.

You were in Vietnam Nicko? While I worked for the New Zealand Air Force in Singapore I helped the Commanding Officer with the research and writing of the history of the New Zealand Air Force out there. I don't think many people even realise they were there and what they went through. It was not pretty. At the same time, the Indonesians were trying to blow us up in Singapore, a fun time was being had by everyone!

sassy, I did two tours in nam,hell on earth.

:-:cawg:-:    :-:cawg:-:    :-:cawg:-:    :-:cawg:-:    :-:cawg:-: 


STOP STALKING me,  Sassy,  you drunken madwoman  ¡¡¡
HOW many times do you have to be told that I'm not interested..    ::rfth::

I'm talking to Nicko, there is something very wrong with you.

nicko wrote:sassy, I did two tours in nam,hell on earth.

It certainly was, went on many marches against it. I think it was only the fact that journalists could get there and report and film, and show people back home what was actually happening that stopped it in the end. Awful war, with misery on both sides.

   THIS "spot on", edifying and expressive post from veya' from last month deserves not just a 'Post of the Month' award for it's revelations and clarity, but also a 'Post of the YEAR' award for revealing in this thread just how much Sassy's ongoing bullshite attacks on Australia and Australians are somehow connected to some underlying anti-Oz obsessions that apparently go back some decades ?

veya_victaous wrote:............

My Contempt is for DICK HEADS we would not let an Anglos get a way with half the Shit we do from a MINORITY OF ABORIGINALS that are absolute dick heads and like ANY of the functional aboriginals will tell you... YOU ARE DAMAGING THE CAUSE OF THE ABORIGINAL THAT HAS GOT JOB AND DOESN'T DO DRUGS by supporting these dick heads.


Sassy why don't you get a plaque put up for every death in London????

And you are Racist !!  What they should get EVEN MORE special treatment because they are Aboriginals?  I support giving them a hand up but they still need to be responsible for their actions and the groups that have chosen to be criminals can be treated like such. It is Unfair to the aboriginals that has actually got off their ass and done something to group them with the lazy crims that Georgatos represents.

  

Stick it to those bigoted and know-nothing foreign troublemakers, veya' !

captainJane wrote:In 2012 the co-ordinator general of remote services for the Northern Territory, Olga Havnen, was sacked when she revealed that almost A$80m (£44m) was spent on the surveillance and removal of Aboriginal children compared with only A$500,000 (£275,000) on supporting the same impoverished families. She told me: "The primary reasons for removing children are welfare issues directly related to poverty and inequality. The impact is just horrendous because if they are not reunited within six months, it's likely they won't see each other again. If South Africa was doing this, there'd be an international outcry."

This is a bloody disgrace and happening in our time. I would love to hear this being announced on the BBC, CNN ALL of the news media's

This is very misleading, the department responsible for Monitoring and prevention of child abuse (not specific to aboriginals) spent $80million it is a State Level department (as discussed earlier NT has additional issues of Not being a official state because there is Too few people). The department Responsible for Aboriginal welfare and poverty is a Federal level department, completely difference parliament with completely separate budgets. The better question is why is DOCs spending money on Aboriginal poverty, it has a specific charter to deal with child abuse, it should not be considering race.

Federal budget is $400Million for Indigenous affairs such as poverty.
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/jenny-macklin-taps-400m-aboriginal-fund-for-running-costs/story-fn9hm1pm-1226240324108#

Plus it is not really poverty, they could choose to live anywhere but a remote desert and they would have plenty. of course this is their traditional lands and life style (the never had anything more before)and some of their traditions constitute child abuse. their current life expectancy is significantly higher than their traditional life expectancy. It is really a case of their traditional lifestyle is poverty, by a Europeans eyes, anyone living in those remote deserts would be the same.

IF we left them alone and let them live like they always had... they would die younger, female children would be ceremonially gang raped at around 12/13 years of age, they would have less food and medicine. This is not all tribes But some of the larger ones in the NT are fucked, we cant help them and let them maintain their traditions at the same time, they are too conflicting with the modern world. Plus the area is too remote and too unpopulated, it is not feasible.

veya_victaous wrote:.............................

Plus it is not really poverty, they could choose to live anywhere but a remote desert and they would have plenty. of course this is their traditional lands and life style (the never had anything more before)and some of their traditions constitute child abuse. their current life expectancy is significantly higher than their traditional life expectancy. It is really a case of their traditional lifestyle is poverty, by a Europeans eyes, anyone living in those remote deserts would be the same.

IF we left them alone and let them live like they always had... they would die younger, female children would be ceremonially gang raped at around 12/13 years of age, they would have less food and medicine..............

 
   THIS is another point often not understood by the likes of uneducated and inexperienced foreign idiots (such as with our couple of English detractors earlier in this very thread, always marching to their own selfish and bigoted agendas; or as with certain UN inspectors and expat' journo's concocting their erroneous and inaccurate "reports"..), looking 'down on us' from their own misguided homegrown  domestic perspectives !

A lot of the indigenous tribes/families/individuals in many parts of Australia and North America, Eastern Russia, Inner Mongolia and some pacific islands that choose to live in what may appear to be poor or "poverty" conditions, but are in fact reverting to their "natural" traditional lifestyles; while at the same time they still have access to "all the mod con's" back in their home communities :

E.g.   Modern houses;
Electricity, running water, phone/internet/radio';
Health services;
Community services, schools, libraries..
Nobody forces the substance abusers (alcoholics, drug addicts, glue and paint sniffers  ) out into the fringes (likely appearing as shanty town "slums" to many of those blinded foreign eyes ~ especially those bigots who are deliberately looking for such markers !). Indeed, we could find more examples of similar white and Asian substance abusers and other fringe dwellers living out on the margins of many larger cities..

IN NONE of these Aussie cities though, are any such "slum areas" as depicted in the deliberate and targeted anti-Oz lies in these threads from the likes of Big Andy and Shady, and a couple of foliow-ons, and a couple of other stirrers ~ they simply don't exist in reality, which is why those racist bigots are NEVER able to show us where their mythical slum areas are !!!