❓ A parliamentary question seeking information from the Premier regarding historical allegations of child migrant abuse at St Joseph's Farm School in Bindoon, based on claims and State Records Office files. The Premier's response largely denies awareness or confirmation of the details presented in the questions.
AnsweredQoN 8691Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to claims made by the former Maltese Immigration Minister, Dr Cachia Zammit, in the Times of Malta on 21 March 2010 about the abuse of child migrants around the time of his visit to Western Australia in 1963. I also refer to related documents from the State Records Office (SRO), and I ask:
(a) is the Premier aware of the remarks published in March 2010 by Dr Zammit, that upon his visit to Perth on 1 September 1963 he could not be met by the Director of the Christian Brothers because of a 'police investigation';
(b) is the Premier aware that Dr Zammit stated in the same 2010 article that upon his return to Malta, the Australian Government informed the Maltese Government about its suspicions of treatment of children in Christian Brothers care which caused the immediate cessation of child migration from Malta to Western Australia in order 'to protect them';
(c) does SRO file F630272 indicate that in 1963 Dr Zammit was accompanied to St Joseph's Farm School at Bindoon by the Secretary of the Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association of Western Australia (Incorporated), because the Director of that Association was involved in a police investigation and could not attend;
(d) does SRO file F630272 indicate that Dr Zammit called the then Premier on 4 September 1963 to discuss a police investigation involving the Christian Brothers and/or the involvement of the Director of the Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association of Western Australia (Incorporated);
(e) will the Premier table any documents relating to any such reference, and if no, why not;
(f) does SRO file F630272 state that in 1963 the then Premier was advised that the then High Commissioner for Malta, Captain G Stivala OBE advised his government that the Christian Brothers school at Bindoon was 'finished', that 'deterioration of the school is very marked' and that he 'would see that no more Maltese children were sent there'; and
(g) will the Premier table any documents relating to any such references, and if not, why not?
(a) is the Premier aware of the remarks published in March 2010 by Dr Zammit, that upon his visit to Perth on 1 September 1963 he could not be met by the Director of the Christian Brothers because of a 'police investigation';
(b) is the Premier aware that Dr Zammit stated in the same 2010 article that upon his return to Malta, the Australian Government informed the Maltese Government about its suspicions of treatment of children in Christian Brothers care which caused the immediate cessation of child migration from Malta to Western Australia in order 'to protect them';
(c) does SRO file F630272 indicate that in 1963 Dr Zammit was accompanied to St Joseph's Farm School at Bindoon by the Secretary of the Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association of Western Australia (Incorporated), because the Director of that Association was involved in a police investigation and could not attend;
(d) does SRO file F630272 indicate that Dr Zammit called the then Premier on 4 September 1963 to discuss a police investigation involving the Christian Brothers and/or the involvement of the Director of the Catholic Episcopal Migration and Welfare Association of Western Australia (Incorporated);
(e) will the Premier table any documents relating to any such reference, and if no, why not;
(f) does SRO file F630272 state that in 1963 the then Premier was advised that the then High Commissioner for Malta, Captain G Stivala OBE advised his government that the Christian Brothers school at Bindoon was 'finished', that 'deterioration of the school is very marked' and that he 'would see that no more Maltese children were sent there'; and
(g) will the Premier table any documents relating to any such references, and if not, why not?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
16 October 2012
Response time
27 days
(a) - (b) There is no record of official correspondence to the Premier regarding this issue.
(c) - (d) No.
(e) Not applicable.
(f) No.
(g) The relevant note to file which does not state that the Premier was advised is available for public viewing at the State Records Office.
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(c) - (d) No.
(e) Not applicable.
(f) No.
(g) The relevant note to file which does not state that the Premier was advised is available for public viewing at the State Records Office.
Notice: This document is created or edited using unregistered or evaluation copy of rtLib valid for testing or development purposes only. To use it for productive or any other purposes please register it. You may purchase the license on
http://www.rtlib.com
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