By Oliver Lees
Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation has welcomed the state government’s announcement of reparations packages for Aboriginal Victorians that belong to the Stolen Generations, and believe there will be many in Melton and across the west who will qualify for the scheme.
On March 3, the details of the Stolen Generations Reparations Package were revealed, with financial reparations, healing support and an individualised apology from the state available to First Nations people who were removed from their families before 1977.
Affected individuals will be able to access a payment of $100,000 from the end of March.
Kamilaroi man and Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation executive officer Peter Webster has a personal appreciation for this historic effort to recognise past wrongdoing against Aboriginal communities.
Mr Webster was himself removed from his family as a child in New South Wales and transported to Melbourne.
Growing up without his immediate family he had little understanding of his true cultural heritage, but admitted he always felt that there was something missing in his life.
Speaking after the state government’s announcement, Mr Webster said although no amount of money could fix the wrongs of the past, he felt the state’s step towards formal recognition would help the Victorian Aboriginal community find closure.
“We have a number of people in Melton and over and Wyndham Vale areas like that will be applying for this though they fit that criteria,” Mr Webster said.
“I think it will help them with their healing and reconnecting back to their culture in their community.”
Mr Webster said having a formal apology from the government is something that he and his colleagues had been advocating for through his work at Kirrip Aboriginal Corporation and the Sunbury Aboriginal Corporation.
“I think people are going to get confused with what the apology is,” he said.
“It’s not for people today to apologise for what they feel that they’re being accused of doing. It’s an apology for Australia’s history, on what went on in history.”
