❓ Question regarding the denial of Mr. Norman Cox's Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme application due to his work on stations outside the scheme's scope, and calls for a review of the scheme to address inequities for former station workers. The Minister acknowledges the situation but declines to take further action.
AnsweredQoN 331Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
With
regard to the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA, I ask: (a) is
the Minister aware of the claim of Mr Norman Cox from Yiyili Community in the
Kimberley, whose application to the WA Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme was
refused because the stations where he worked were outside the scope of the
scheme; (b) if
yes to (a), and based on Mr Cox’s own testament, does the Minister consider he
was unfairly treated at the four stations: Louisa Downs, Go Go, Cherabun and
Fossil Downs where he worked between the years 1948 and 1975; (c) is
the Minister aware that Mr Cox considers the decision to refuse his application
for stolen wages and the subsequent refusal to address his appeals and
submissions as unjust and discriminatory; (d) if
yes to (c), does the Minister consider he has a responsibility to address this
obvious impasse; (e) if
no to (d), why not; (f) if
yes to (d), what action will the Minister now take; (g) does
the Minister accept that the establishment of the Stolen Wages Reparation
Scheme raised the hopes of all Aboriginal people who were unpaid for the work
they did, including former station workers, and that to exclude them from the
scheme is both discriminatory and unfair; (h) given
the large number of former station workers who were denied their wages over a
considerable length of time in the Kimberley and elsewhere, will the Minister
now consider reviewing the Stolen Wages Scheme and creating a new scheme aimed
at addressing the inequities; and (i) if
no to (h), why not?
regard to the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA, I ask: (a) is
the Minister aware of the claim of Mr Norman Cox from Yiyili Community in the
Kimberley, whose application to the WA Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme was
refused because the stations where he worked were outside the scope of the
scheme; (b) if
yes to (a), and based on Mr Cox’s own testament, does the Minister consider he
was unfairly treated at the four stations: Louisa Downs, Go Go, Cherabun and
Fossil Downs where he worked between the years 1948 and 1975; (c) is
the Minister aware that Mr Cox considers the decision to refuse his application
for stolen wages and the subsequent refusal to address his appeals and
submissions as unjust and discriminatory; (d) if
yes to (c), does the Minister consider he has a responsibility to address this
obvious impasse; (e) if
no to (d), why not; (f) if
yes to (d), what action will the Minister now take; (g) does
the Minister accept that the establishment of the Stolen Wages Reparation
Scheme raised the hopes of all Aboriginal people who were unpaid for the work
they did, including former station workers, and that to exclude them from the
scheme is both discriminatory and unfair; (h) given
the large number of former station workers who were denied their wages over a
considerable length of time in the Kimberley and elsewhere, will the Minister
now consider reviewing the Stolen Wages Scheme and creating a new scheme aimed
at addressing the inequities; and (i) if
no to (h), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
31 October 2013
Responded by
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs
Response time
43 days
(a) Yes.
(b) I accept that Mr Cox considers that he was unfairly treated.
(c) Yes.
(d) No.
(e) The State Government's response to the issue of stolen wages was largely based on advice from the Stolen Wages Taskforce, which found that station workers' incomes were not controlled directly by Government and consequently, fall outside the scope of the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) No.
(h) No.
(i) Refer to (e).
(b) I accept that Mr Cox considers that he was unfairly treated.
(c) Yes.
(d) No.
(e) The State Government's response to the issue of stolen wages was largely based on advice from the Stolen Wages Taskforce, which found that station workers' incomes were not controlled directly by Government and consequently, fall outside the scope of the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme.
(f) Not applicable.
(g) No.
(h) No.
(i) Refer to (e).
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