In February 2008, the Stolen Generations were given a formal national apology by the new Government. A national apology was one of the key recommendations from the Bringing them Home Report and was the first step in redressing the historic injustice of the Stolen Generations.
The Greens' Bill is the next step.

It seeks to implement another key recommendation from the Bringing Them Home Report by providing a mechanism to make reparations to the Stolen Generations.

The Bringing Them Home Report recommended that:

"for the purposes of responding to the effects of forcible removals, `compensation' be widely defined to mean `reparation'; that reparation be made in recognition of the history of gross violations of human rights; and that the van Boven principles guide the reparation measures. Reparation should consist of:

• acknowledgment and apology
• guarantees against repetition
• measures of restitution
• measures of rehabilitation
• monetary compensation

Following the national apology, Senator Andrew Bartlett introduced the Stolen Generation Compensation Bill 2008. The Greens acknowledge the contribution made by Senator Andrew Bartlett and the work of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and the Australian Human Rights Centre in proposing a model for a Stolen Generations Reparations Tribunal.

The distinguishing feature of this Bill is the broader remit for reparation. Reparations can include funding for certain services and monetary compensation when particular harm is demonstrated. These reparations are unlimited and are to be determined by the Tribunal.

There is a focus in the Bill on communal reparation, including measures such as funding for healing centres, community education projects, community genealogy projects, and funding for access to counselling services, health services, language and culture training.

The Tribunal's functions include:

• Deciding on appropriate reparation
• Deciding on an appropriate amount of any ex gratia payment
• Providing a forum and process for truth and reconciliation by which Indigenous persons affected by forcible removal policies may tell their story, have their experience acknowledged and be offered an apology by the Tribunal or others
• Consider proposed legislation to report on whether it would be contrary to the Principles of this Act
• Inquire into prejudicial policies and practices by government or a church organisation brought to the Tribunal's attention

Just reparations are equally essential to repair the enduring social, economic and cultural harm experienced by the Stolen Generations. In the same way the national apology was long overdue, so is a reparation scheme.

Attachment	Date	Size
Stolen Generations Reparations Tribunal Bill 2008 2nd Reader.doc	09/03/09 12:50 am	41.5 KB
Stolen_Generations_Reparations_Tribunal_Bill.pdf	09/03/09 12:50 am	159.27 KB
Stolen_Generations_Reparations_Tribunal_Bill_EM.pdf	09/03/09 12:51 am	323.2 KB