Stolen Generations redress scheme unveiled
Stolen Generations survivors in the territories will be compensated through a $378.6 million redress scheme for Indigenous children forcibly taken from their families.
Survivors from the Northern Territory, ACT and Jervis Bay Territory will be able to apply for one-off $75,000 payments in recognition of harm caused.
Additional $7000 payments will be available to help individuals get support for their trauma.
Each survivor will also be given the chance to detail the consequences of their forced removal in a confidential session with a senior government official.
If survivors choose to do this, they will receive a face-to-face or written apology.
People can apply for the federal government scheme from March 1, 2022, until February 28, 2026.
The announcement on Thursday is part of a suite of measures worth more than $1 billion to reduce social, health and economic disadvantage among Indigenous Australians.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will outline the Closing the Gap implementation plan in a speech to parliament.
"This is a practical plan that builds from the ground up by making good on the harm caused to Stolen Generations survivors to supporting this and future generations of young people with more education opportunities," he said.
Aboriginal-controlled community health organisations will get $254.4 million, while $160 million will be spent on early years support for Indigenous children.
The redress scheme is separate from state-run programs, the most recent of which was announced by Victoria in March.
The Stolen Generations occurred because of decades-long government assimilation policies that took Indigenous children from their families.
Legislation sanctioning these forced removals was repealed in 1969.
Indigenous people who were under the age of 18 when they were taken from the NT and ACT, before the territories became self-governing, as well as Jervis Bay, can apply for federal compensation.
Families of survivors who die between the scheme's announcement and applications opening next year will be able to lodge a claim on their behalf.
Australia is on track to miss key Closing the Gap targets aimed at stopping Aboriginal people ending up in child protection and jail and dying sooner.
The life expectancy gap is not set to close by 2031.
Also off track are targets reducing the rate of adults jailed by 15 per cent, and achieving a significant and sustained reduction in suicides, within the decade.
The progress report on 17 health and wellbeing targets, released in July, followed a national agreement with Indigenous organisations last year.
Some health and welfare are on track, including achieving a 30 per cent reduction in youth detention and ensuring 91 per cent of babies are born at a healthy birth weight.
Early childhood education rates are expected to reach a target of 95 per cent by 2025.
