Stolen Wages (Queensland)

If you require any further information or assistance in relation to this matter, please contact Ms Pauline Peel, Deputy Director-General, Office for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships, Department of Communities on 3235 9495. Yours sincerely Desley Boyle MP Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships

Your reference: Petitions Our reference: C109100214 OM 00722-2009 12 MAY 2009 Mr Neil Laurie The Clerk of the Parliament Parliament House Cnr Alice and George Streets BRISBANE QLD 4000 Dear Mr Laurie Minister for Local Government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships I refer to your letter of 13 February 2009 to the former Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships concerning petition No. 1090-08 received by the Queensland Legislative Assembly on 12 February 2009, relating to Indigenous wages and savings issues. As this issue now falls within my portfolio responsibilities, your letter has been provided to me for reply. In 2002, in response to community concerns, the Queensland Government made a historic $55.4 million reparations offer to Indigenous Queenslanders. This offer was not intended as a 'replacement' amount for any money that persons may believe they are`owed'. It was instead a reconciliation gesture recognising past injustices and seeking to make reparation for them. Commencing in July 2003, 8761 reparations claims were received, with 5553 eligible claims paid. When the first round of reparations was finalised, a balance of $35.87 million remained. In 2008, the Queensland Government offered a second round of payments to previously eligible claimants and also agreed to re-open and extend the scheme to new claimants until 30 April 2009, with the unspent balance of reparations funds used to establish the Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders Foundation. The Queensland Government has allowed for the consideration of oral or affidavit evidence to support equivocal documentary evidence in assessing eligibility for reparations. The Department of Communities will continue to make every possible effort to support and assist people throughout the eligibility assessment process, particularly where people's recollections and supporting records are unclear or ambiguous. In making these decisions, the Queensland Government has attempted to strike a balance between recognising and responding to historical controls over the wages and savings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and moving towards sustainable benefits for younger Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander generations through the Foundation's scholarships program.

Please find attached the flyer for the up and coming Rally for Wage Justice to take place in Cairns on 30 October 2008. The rally will focus on the Regional Parliament taking place in Cairns and is to protest against the Bligh Government decision to quarantine $21.1m of the Stolen Wages Reparation Package into the Indigenous Queenslanders Fund. Once again, a government is denying Indigenous workers their wages and going against the principles of wage justice. Don’t let this continue any longer. Get out to the Cairns Convention Centre from 12pm onwards to show your support to our Elders and Indigenous workers. Please distribute this flyer through your networks – the more voices, the more power to send a message to the State Government that you support wage justice for Indigenous workers. For information or questions please contact: Stuart Traill – ETU Cairns: 0430 072 049 Seith Fourmile – BBM Cairns: 0432 543 812 Kara Touchie – ACTU: 0437 534 002