STOLEN GENERATIONS LEADER SAYS REDRESS MUST GO HAND IN HAND WITH TRUTH AND HEALING

By Tangiora Hinaki

Yokai Chairperson Dr Jim Morrison has welcomed the State Government’s Stolen Generations Redress Scheme, but says money alone won’t address the ongoing trauma caused by forced removals.

Dr Morrison, a Minang man from the south-west of WA, has spent decades advocating for survivors. He said the scheme was long overdue, but many Elders have already died without recognition or compensation.

“The horrifying thing is most of them have passed on now, so they’ll never have closure of the terrible thing that happened to them in these missions or concentration camps,” he said.

He said the new scheme, which provides financial compensation for living survivors taken before July 1, 1972, must be supported by truth-telling and healing spaces.

“We need to have our own places where we can practice collective healing. That’s something our people have been doing for thousands of years, but there are not enough safe places for us in the cities where most of our people live.”

Dr Morrison urged survivors to prepare their affairs now, to ensure payments go where they are intended.

“Our people need to be encouraged to look at wills. We’ve had many people die since the announcement, and they don’t have a will. If they don’t, that money goes to the Public Trustee,” he said.

While Yokai will work alongside the Premier’s Department in the rollout, Dr Morrison stressed the organisation will not be handling individual payouts. He said the community must hold the government accountable to ensure the scheme delivers on its promise.

Listen to Ngaarda Media’s Tangiora Hinaki speak with Dr Jim Morrisson: