Aboriginal Legal Service
of Western Australia (Inc.)
Publications
Telling Our Story
In 1995 this was the first public research report of its kind undertaken in Western Australia. It documents an extraordinary chapter in the history of Aboriginal affairs examining the effect of government policies that saw thousands of Aboriginal children removed from their families and reared in missions, orphanages, reserves and white foster homes.
"The report documents the insensitive, callous and now discredited policies of assimilation and integration. It confirms a significant manifestation between removal from family and severe psychological, social and economic problems experienced by many Aboriginal people later in life" Rob Riley, CEO ALS 1990-1995
More than 600 Aboriginal people who were personally and directly affected by successive assimilationist policies of Western Australian governments have told their stories publicly for the first time after a lifetime of pain and suffering.
The report cites a range of legal options for Aboriginal people who were taken away and are seeking reparation.
This includes:
- alleging a breach in the international laws of genocide
- alleging a breach of implied human rights in the Australian Constitution, or
- there are several civil law options
The report also makes recommendations to both State and Federal Governments of ways of addressing this most important issue.
The book Telling Our Story is available for download here.
After the Removal
A submission by the Aboriginal Legal Service of WA (Inc) to the National Inquiry into Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from their Families
This 1996 submission follows on from the ALS report Telling Our Story, published in July 1995. It was made on behalf of the 710 Aboriginal clients who provided personal histories of their removal, or the removal of members of their families.
The submission includes, additional to those histories, an historical framework, empirical analysis of the effects of removal, and discussion on reparation and legal issues. Those issues include causes of action (including genocide) and international law obligations in regard to restitution, compensation and rehabilitation.
After the Removal also includes chapters on housing, health, aged care, education, local government, over-representation of adult Aboriginal persons within the criminal justice system, child welfare and juvenile justice.
The submission makes 166 recommendations on how governments can address the wrongs of the past, provide justice, and improve the socio-economic and cultural conditions of Aboriginal people today.
The book After the Removal is available for download here.
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