2017-05-26
On the 20 year anniversary of the Bringing them Home report, Australian Greens Senator Rachel Siewert is warning that another Stolen Generation is underway, and is urging the Government to act on recommendations made by a senate inquiry into Out of Home Care.
“Nearly two years ago, I tabled a senate inquiry report into out-of-home care that made 39 recommendations on how to improve the system. This has been totally ignored by the Turnbull Government.
“When the report was tabled Aboriginal children made up less than five percent of the general population yet made up 35 percent of children in out-of-home care. In my home state of WA, it was just over 50 percent of the children in care.
“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples are warning that there is another stolen or lost generation happening. On the 20 year anniversary of the Bringing them Home report, the Government needs to act.
“When the Bringing them Home report was released in 1997, one in every five children living in out of home care were Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander; today, 20 years on, it is one in three. What an unbelievable development, we have another Stolen Generation upon us.
“The recently released Family Matters Roadmap, led by SNAICC, is an excellent way forward. It paves the way to keeping Aboriginal kids safe with their families, in community and culture. It is imperative that Government listens to Aboriginal community voices and takes action on this roadmap.
“Our First Peoples are so sick of Government ignoring evidence based recommendations on how to make things better. It is time we got on with the work that needs to be done”.
Media Release Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Issues