PLEASE CIRCULATE
Senate Inquiry into the Stolen Generations
On 24 November 1999 Senator Bolkus put forward a motion in the Senate
calling on the Federal Government to settle the Northern Territory Stolen
Generation cases and to establish an alternative method of settling Stolen
Generation claims. Senator Ridgeway moved an amendment calling on the
Senate to refer certain matters concerning the stolen generations to a
Senate Committe for inquiry and report.
The motion was passed and as a result the Senate Legal and Constitutional
References Committee (the Senate Committee) was assigned the task of
investigating several issues. These can be summarised as:
(1) the adequacy of the Federal Government's response to the
recommendations of the Bringing Them Home Report
(2) effective ways of implementing the recommendations of Bringing Them Home
(3) whether the Federal Government's position is contrary to reconciliation
(4) whether the Federal Government is acting in the interests of the stolen
generations
(5) alternatives to litigation (court) for the stolen generations
Making a Submission
The Senate Committee is currently receiving written submissions addressing
the above points (1) to (5) from any interested party. Written submissions
are not required to be in any specific form, but must be in by 17 March
2000. Written submissions can be sent to:
Post: The Secretary
Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Fax: (02) 6277-5794
Some tips for written submissions:
a) can be in any form, for example, a letter, a long essay or a short document
b) should be typed on A4 paper
c) should refer to one, some or all of the Terms of Reference
e) should be signed by the author or on behalf on an organisation
f) you may request that some of your submission remain confidential
Participating in Public Hearings
After 17 March 2000 the Senate will be conducting Public Hearings to hear
oral submissions. The details have not yet been finalised, but they are
likely to take place in April, May and June 2000.
Getting Further Information
You can contact the Senate Committee to obtain an information package for
the Committee's Inquiry into the Stolen Generation at the above details and
by phone on (02) 6277-3416. This package includes the Terms of Reference
in full, some background information on the "Bringing Them Home" report,
details of the government=92s response to the report, the documents for
reconciliation, the names of the members of the Senate Committee and some
notes to assist in the preparation of submission to the inquiry.
--
Leftlink - Australia's Broad Left Mailing List
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.alexia.net.au/~www/mhutton/index.html
Sponsored by Melbourne's New International Bookshop
Subscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=subscribe%20leftlink
Unsubscribe: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]?Body=unsubscribe%20leftlink
