❓ Question regarding the adequacy of compensation provided to Mr. Tim Leyland Senior under the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA and Redress WA, considering his experiences at Moore River Mission. The Minister acknowledges the poor treatment but defends the Redress WA scheme as a compassionate alternative to litigation.
AnsweredQoN 949Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
In relation to the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA and Redress WA regarding applications by Mr Tim Leyland Senior, I ask: (a) is the Minister aware that Mr Leyland was taken from his home and placed in the Moore River Mission against his will; (b) is the Minister aware that during his time at the mission Mr Leyland worked on the farm for 12 hours a day, enduring hardships that included insufficient food, little or no medical help, threats and standover tactics by mission staff: (i) if yes to (b), what is the Minister's view of this treatment; (c) does the Minister consider that $13,000 under the Redress WA scheme is sufficient, in view of Mr Leyland's suffering: (i) if yes to (c), will the Minister please explain; and (ii) if no to (c), what will the Minister do to ensure adequate redress; (d) will the Minister apologise to Mr Leyland and others for the unjust treatment they endured while in these government sanctioned institutions: (i) if no to (d), why not; and (ii) if yes to (d), when will this happen; and (e) will the Minister reopen the Stolen Wages and Redress schemes so that claims can be properly heard and adequately compensated, for example; with a payment that makes up the difference between what was paid at the time and the basic wage at the time: (i) if yes to (e), when will this happen; and (ii) if no to (e), why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
6 May 2014
Responded by
Minister for Community Services
Response time
49 days
(a) Yes, Mr Leyland shared his experiences through the Redress WA application process.
(b) Yes, Mr Leyland shared his experiences through the Redress WA application process.
(i) It is incredibly poor treatment.
(c) The Redress WA scheme was a compassionate scheme that was established to enable those who suffered abuse while in the care of the State to have their stories heard, their experiences acknowledged, and to provide them with an ex gratia payment in lieu of the often costly and traumatic experience of pursuing civil litigation. The figure of $13,000 is not intended to be taken as a monetary value of Mr Leyland's experience.
(i) See answer to (c)
(ii) Not applicable
(d) All Redress WA applicants who received an ex gratia payment received a letter of apology from the State Government. As to any application Mr Leyland made to the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA, that scheme was administered by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and I am unable to speak to it.
(i) See answer to (d) above - all recipients of Redress WA ex gratia payments received a letter of apology from the State Government.
(ii) Not applicable
(e) I am unable to speak to the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA as it was administered by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. The Redress WA Scheme was a finite scheme.
(i) There are no plans to reopen the Redress WA scheme or establish a new one.
(ii) The Redress WA Scheme was a finite scheme.
(b) Yes, Mr Leyland shared his experiences through the Redress WA application process.
(i) It is incredibly poor treatment.
(c) The Redress WA scheme was a compassionate scheme that was established to enable those who suffered abuse while in the care of the State to have their stories heard, their experiences acknowledged, and to provide them with an ex gratia payment in lieu of the often costly and traumatic experience of pursuing civil litigation. The figure of $13,000 is not intended to be taken as a monetary value of Mr Leyland's experience.
(i) See answer to (c)
(ii) Not applicable
(d) All Redress WA applicants who received an ex gratia payment received a letter of apology from the State Government. As to any application Mr Leyland made to the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA, that scheme was administered by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs and I am unable to speak to it.
(i) See answer to (d) above - all recipients of Redress WA ex gratia payments received a letter of apology from the State Government.
(ii) Not applicable
(e) I am unable to speak to the Stolen Wages Reparation Scheme WA as it was administered by the Department of Aboriginal Affairs. The Redress WA Scheme was a finite scheme.
(i) There are no plans to reopen the Redress WA scheme or establish a new one.
(ii) The Redress WA Scheme was a finite scheme.
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