The NSW Government announced that it will extend the Stolen Wages Scheme for Indigenous people who were denied their wages under Aboriginal Protection Acts. This Scheme commenced in 2005 to provide full reimbursement of unpaid wages at prevailing rates.
Despite the initial promise that there would be no time limitations on claims so claimants would have sufficient time to have freedom of information requests processed and to develop cases in response to new records surfacing, the NSW Government sought to discontinue the Scheme in May 2009.
However, a report to Cabinet (which the Government refuses to disclose publicly) has led to the extension of the Scheme to June 2010. This will provide applicants with more time to collect evidence. To date, 60 per cent of claims have been knocked back for lacking in evidence, according to Joel Gibson's report in today's Sydney Morning Herald.
The Scheme has been criticised for lacking procedural transparency. The considerations behind awarding payments have not been stated categorically, nor has the procedure where written records are not found. The reasons for not awarding payments are not made public and are not able to be reviewed. The claims are made in closed rooms without external scrutiny.
In order for justice to be provided to Indigenous people deprived of their wages, the Scheme not only requires an extension, but a redesign to ensure transparency and procedural fairness.