All aspects of Aboriginal people's lives were controlled at the missions, under the Aboriginals Protection Act, the inquiry heard.
From living on rations and pocket money to having to ask permission to visit a nearby town, life on an Aboriginal mission has been laid bare at an inquiry. Aunty Lesley Williams has told Queensland's truth-telling and healing inquiry about growing up on the Cherbourg Aboriginal mission where her family had to live on rations, with those working paid "pocket money" once a fortnight.
"We were ripped off big time," she told the inquiry on Wednesday. At one property she said she was made to sleep in a shed, dragging a bag of sugar to block the door as a security measure. Residents of Cherbourg had to go to the superintendent of the mission to get a permit to leave, even to go shopping in nearby towns, Aunty Lesley told the inquiry.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Portraits of Aboriginal drovers enshrined in outback Queensland townThe 'backbone' of the cattle industry, Indigenous drovers star in a permanent photographic exhibition in outback Queensland. Their portraits draw a relatively unknown part of bush history out of the shadows.
Read more »
Massacre site landowner calls for recognition of 'tragedies' in Victorian Aboriginal truth-telling inquiryElizabeth Balderstone's family property is the site of one of the worst massacres of Aboriginal people in Victorian history. She told Victoria's Yoorrook Justice Commission that fact has led her to call for 'honesty with our history'.
Read more »
My ancestor knew more about atrocities against Aboriginal people than he let on, inquiry toldAtrocities during the Frontier Wars must be honestly acknowledged, a writer and a landowner tell the state’s truth-telling commission.
Read more »
Aboriginal elders break silence after successful plea to protect cultural heritage from gold mineA pair of Indigenous elders who had their bid to have a cultural site protected in NSW's Central West from a gold mine have broken their silence.
Read more »
City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder pleads guilty to damaging Aboriginal heritage site while clearing fire breakThe City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder has pleaded guilty to damaging a registered Aboriginal heritage site, known as Mulyinyu Rockhole, while council workers were clearing a fire break last year.
Read more »
‘Insane madness’: Uncovered Aboriginal gold mine application slammedFresh information has emerged in the Regis gold mine debacle, after it was revealed an Aboriginal historian applied three years ago for all waterways in the Blayney Shire Council to be protected.
Read more »