[Greens-Media] [Correction] 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights

[Scott Hickie]

Ian Cohen MLC
Media Release
10th December 2008
 
60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
highlights pitfalls of NSW Stolen Wages system 
 
As the world celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the United Nations’
Universal Declaration of Human Rights today, the Indigenous community of
New South Wales is fast running out of time to claim stolen wages held
in trust by the Premier’s Aboriginal Trust Fund Repayment Scheme
(ATFRS). 
 
“The 31st  December deadline for lodging a claim is only 3 weeks away.
On this important anniversary I think it is necessary to question to ask
whether we should be imposing a cut off date on access to basic human
rights,” say Greens MP Ian Cohen. 
 
“By extending this deadline and raising more awareness of the scheme
within the Indigenous community, the NSW government has an opportunity
to renew its commitment to Article 23 of the Declaration, which
enshrines the right for all people to have equal pay for equal work.”
 
ATFRS was established in 2005, and as of October this year the
Department of Aboriginal Affairs estimates that 634 living and 2,587
descendant claims have been lodged. 
 
“It was originally estimated that there would be up to 11,000 claims.
It’s clear that the take up of the scheme has been extremely low, and
much more needs to be done to raise awareness of the scheme within the
Indigenous community.“ 
 
Between 1900 and 1968, funds were held in trust for many Indigenous
people, including wages, pensions, child endowment payments,
inheritances and lump sum compensation payments. Dubbed “Stolen Wages”,
these funds had never been repaid until the ATFR scheme was introduced.

 
For more information on the scheme or making a claim before the 31
December deadline, call the ATFRS hotline on 1800 765 889.