Stolen Generations compensation schemes 2016-present
In 2016, the NSW government introduced a compensation scheme as a form of recognition and restitution for the harm suffered by Stolen Generations victims and their families.
In 2015, the NSW Parliament completed a Legislative Council Inquiry into reparations for the Stolen Generations in NSW. The final report was tabled in NSW Parliament in 2016 and was welcomed by several members who emphasised that the Report should not ‘sit on a shelf, gathering dust’ ().
In December 2016, the NSW Government formally announced the NSW Stolen Generations Reparations Scheme. The scheme offered one-off payments of $75,000 to survivors of the Stolen Generations () and was anticipated to cost around $73 million.
The NSW Government also introduced the Stolen Generations Funeral Fund to provide one-off payments of $7,000 to Stolen Generations survivors, to assist with the cost of funerals ().
The scheme accepts claims from individuals who were removed from their families prior to 2 June 1969. The foundational and explanatory documents from various government bodies outline the type of payments which can be made for Aboriginal people and sets out the criteria for eligibility ().
The case studies in this subject shed light on the critical discussion surrounding these compensation schemes, including the differing views of Aboriginal people. While some view compensation as being essential to the healing process, others feel that no amount of money will be able to compensate for their trauma (, , ).
The law and policy in this subject is accurate as of 1 June 2023.