WA Government Announces $85,000 Reparations for Stolen Generations Survivors

Western Australia has announced a reparations scheme offering up to $85,000 to members of the Stolen Generations, Aboriginal people forcibly removed from their families before July 1, 1972. Premier Roger Cook described the payments as a necessary step toward reconciliation, acknowledging that no amount of money can fully compensate for the trauma endured. The scheme aligns WA with other Australian states and territories, with Queensland remaining the only jurisdiction without such a program. The policy of forced removals in WA was notably driven by A.O. Neville, a state official who pursued assimilationist and eugenics-driven goals. Applications for the scheme opened in 2025, with payments expected later that year. Advocates like Tony Hansen welcomed the announcement as a historic moment in addressing past injustices.