2018-05-30
In the lead up to National Sorry Day and ten years since the National Apology, the Australian Greens are calling for the Turnbull Government to ensure healing and justice for the Stolen Generations, whilst also working to reduce the appalling number of Aboriginal children disproportionately entering out of home care.
“There is a link between failure of Government to ensure healing, justice and reparations for the Stolen Generations and more Aboriginal children in the out of home care system.
“There is ongoing trauma as a result of the past policies and practices that requires an integrated services and supports to ensure healing and justice. Families and communities are still suffering from trauma, we must work to break the cycle.
“It is clear the current approach is failing. As of 2017, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander kids were 9.8 times more likely to be living in out of home care compared to non-indigenous kids.
“We have another Stolen Generation and it is time the Turnbull Government did something to ensure that the number of Aboriginal kids entering the broken out of home care system doesn’t continue to climb.
“The Turnbull Government must commit additional funds to develop early intervention approaches that support Aboriginal families at risk of entering the out of home care system, including providing Aboriginal family support workers. This will ensure that vulnerable families and children receive the support they need.
“It is critical that Aboriginal communities are empowered to develop and deliver services and supports, including establishment of peak Aboriginal child protection agencies.
“Government needs to stop saying that they are ‘listening’ and actually work with peak Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander organisations to ensure on the ground support meets the real needs of communities.
“We do not want to look back at this period decades from now and be apologising again. It’s time to fix this before more children end up worse off and moving from out of home care into the justice system”.