Changes

A prevailing view held that there was a hierarchy of human [[race]]s. This notion supposed that Northern Europeans were superior in civilisation and that Aborigines were inferior. According to this view, the increasing numbers of mixed-descent children in Australia, labelled as 'half-castes' (or alternatively 'crossbreeds', 'quadroons' and 'octoroons'), were seen by many to be a threat to racial purity. Many believe that in the first half of the twentieth century, this led to policies and legislation that resulted in the removal of children from their parents. The stated aim was to culturally assimilate mixed-descent people into contemporary Australian society. These children came to be called the Stolen Generation.

A prevailing view held that there was a hierarchy of human [[race]]s. This notion supposed that Northern Europeans were superior in civilisation and that Aborigines were inferior. According to this view, the increasing numbers of mixed-descent children in Australia, labelled as 'half-castes' (or alternatively 'crossbreeds', 'quadroons' and 'octoroons'), were seen by many to be a threat to racial purity. Many believe that in the first half of the twentieth century, this led to policies and legislation that resulted in the removal of children from their parents. The stated aim was to culturally assimilate mixed-descent people into contemporary Australian society. These children came to be called the Stolen Generation.

A [[Royal Commission]] was instituted by the [[Government of Australia]] under the auspices of the (Australian) Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission, headed by Sir [[Ronald Wilson]], a former Judge of the [[High Court of Australia]] and former President of the [[liberal]] [[Uniting Church in Australia]]. The commission took public testimony from around Australia, including visits to tribal lands, and its 1997 report ’’Bringing Them Home: Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families’’ has been seen to have re-shaped Australia’s internal race relations. The report suggested that considerable human rights abuses occurred as a result of the policies that led to the Stolen Generation, although responses of respective state and federal governments to the report's findings and recommendations have varied.

A [[Royal Commission]] was instituted by the Government of Australia under the auspices of the (Australian) Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission, headed by Sir [[Ronald Wilson]], a former Judge of the [[High Court of Australia]] and former President of the [[liberal]] [[Uniting Church in Australia]]. The commission took public testimony from around Australia, including visits to tribal lands, and its 1997 report ’’Bringing Them Home: Report of the National Inquiry into the Separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children from Their Families’’ has been seen to have re-shaped Australia’s internal race relations. The report suggested that considerable human rights abuses occurred as a result of the policies that led to the Stolen Generation, although responses of respective state and federal governments to the report's findings and recommendations have varied.

However, some people, including [[conservative]] columnist [[Andrew Bolt]], challenge the existence of the Stolen Generation. Bolt demanded that [[Robert Manne]], an outspoken advocate of the existence of the Stolen Generation, produce the names of ten children taken from their parents simply because they were Aboriginal or part Aboriginal. When Manne did produce a list, Bolt showed that the children were actually taken for the sake of their welfare. Bolt has further condemned the Stolen Generation concept for actually causing harm to Aboriginal children. He says that welfare officials are now too scared of being branded racist to take children who are in danger.

However, some people, including [[conservative]] columnist [[Andrew Bolt]], challenge the existence of the Stolen Generation. Bolt demanded that [[Robert Manne]], an outspoken advocate of the existence of the Stolen Generation, produce the names of ten children taken from their parents simply because they were Aboriginal or part Aboriginal. When Manne did produce a list, Bolt showed that the children were actually taken for the sake of their welfare. Bolt has further condemned the Stolen Generation concept for actually causing harm to Aboriginal children. He says that welfare officials are now too scared of being branded racist to take children who are in danger.