‘Genocide': Bombshell finding as first Australian truth-telling commission releases report on treatment of Indigenous Australians
The landmark Yoorrook for Justice report into Victoria's Child Protection and Criminal Justice Systems, released on Tuesday, made 46 recommendations based on findings gathered across 67 days of public hearings, the testimony of more than 200 witnesses and the contributions of 1,500 first nations people.
The Yoorrook Justice Commission was established in 2021 to examine the 'extent and impact of historical and ongoing systemic injustice' against Indigenous Australians in Victoria since the start of colonisation.
In their final report, the Commission found serious crimes were committed against Indigenous Australians from 1834 - including ' mass killings, disease, sexual violence, exclusion, linguicide, cultural erasure, environmental degradation, child removal, absorption and assimilation'.
'Yoorrook found that the decimation of the First Peoples population in Victoria between 1 per cent and 5 per cent of the pre-colonisation population by 1901 was the result of 'a coordinated plan of different actions aimed at the destruction of the essential foundations of the life of national groups',' the report states.
'This was genocide.'
In addition, the Commission found Victoria's child protection system is not only discriminatory, but that it causes trauma, disconnects children from their culture and is in breach of 'fundamental cultural and human rights of the child'.
Speaking to Patricia Karvelas on ABC's Afternoon Briefing, former co-chair of the First Peoples Assembly Marcus Stewart called the report 'historic'.
'We needed to look at the systemic injustices that had happened throughout Victoria to First Nations people. And we needed a mechanism in order to do that so our people could come forward, speak their truth, tell their stories,' Mr Stewart said.
'It's important to know that these mechanisms have been used worldwide,' he said.
'Canada had a Truth and Reconciliation Commission that examined residential schools.
'East Timor had a truth telling process (after) Indonesian occupation, and the most famous … was chaired by the late Desmond Tutu in South Africa.'
Speaking on the correlations between current and historical conditions faced by Indigenous children, Mr Stewart said the document was 'heavy'.
'The act of genocide did occur on our shores and in particular, did significantly impact First Nations people here in Victoria.'
'This process isn't to lay blame, but to create opportunity.'
On Tuesday night, Yoorrook Commissioner Travis Lovett took to Instagram to tell Australians to 'take the time to read the recommendations'.
'This is not light reading, but it is necessary. For the first time, we as Aboriginal People have held the pen and told our truths, in our words,' he wrote.
'This official public record has the power to change forever how people learn about the true history of this state. It must be included in the Victorian school curriculum so that future generations grow up knowing the full story.'
'It's moving, it may make you cry, but it will make you think'.
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