Aboriginal Stolen Generation
Women Educating Each Other and Women in Safe and Equal Relationships

Dr ANDREW McDONALD (Macquarie Fields) [5.09 p.m.]: On 12 March 2008, together with the member for Menai, I met Aunty Nancy Davis representing the Gandangara people at the Liverpool Women's Health Centre. Nancy is one of the stolen generation. Her story, among others of her generation, needs to be never forgotten by the people of New South Wales. For that reason I would like to place a little of it in Hansard. Nancy was taken from her mother in the mid 1940s. She was aged about six years old and remembers it was a Saturday. She was charged with being neglected and removed. In her own words, she never had a child's life. Nancy also lost the language that her mother would speak to her before Nancy was removed. It was only after the apology by Prime Minister Rudd that Nancy was able to talk about her mother. The word "sorry" is about making a break with the past. As Nancy said, we need to move forward.

In my day-to-day work I regularly meet members of the stolen generation, as I am sure many of us do and we may never know it. Their stories are almost never volunteered, always painful, and often tragic. My own interest in Aboriginal health started in 1977, when I worked at Kempsey as a medical student and intern. Even then, it was clear to all in the field that many generations had been wronged, and that the only way to improve Aboriginal health was to involve the Aboriginal community. For many years at Federal level the failure to say sorry has made this harder or, as Australia's most distinguished paediatrician, Fiona Stanley, has said:

Acknowledgement of history is not only symbolic, it has been shown very clearly to increase self esteem and make people participate more fully.

One of the greatest rewards of my medical career was working at Tharawal Aboriginal Health Service. From my own experience, I resolutely can tell all in this place that the effect of the stolen generation resonates in all aspects of Aboriginal society and health to this day. Tonight there is a Close-the-Gap seminar on Aboriginal health in the Jubilee Room chaired by Daryl Wright, the General Manager of Tharawal Aboriginal Health Service. I look forward to having more Aboriginal medical and nursing staff to help me in the future. As Professor Stanley said, "An Aboriginal workforce is the sustainable solution to all of this". Yet again I acknowledge the involvement of the University of New South Wales and the University of Western Sydney in training Aboriginal medical and nursing students. By comparison, New Zealand has had 15 per cent Maori doctors for 50 years.

Another of the early leaders in Aboriginal child health is Professor of Paediatrics, Kim Oates, AO. For many years he held monthly clinics at Bourke where he introduced many of the paediatricians-in-training in New South Wales to the issues of indigenous youth. On the day of Mr Rudd's apology, he told me that as he stood in the rain in Martin Place the water on his face was not all from above. That brings me to the reason Nancy was there to welcome us to country: she was there to celebrate International Women's Day by launching the website for Liverpool Women's Health Centre and the WEEO WISER [Women Educating Each Other, Women In Safe and Equal Relationships] program.

Minister Firth described the Liverpool Women's Health Centre as an "oasis of calm". The value it provides to the community is enormous. More than a just a health centre, Liverpool Women's Health Centre has long been a tireless voice for women in south-west Sydney and beyond. The announcement on the day by Minister Firth of a further $100,000 for WEEO WISER was especially welcomed. I have spoken before of this an excellent program for our year 9 young women. This innovative project has led the way to equip young women with knowledge, skills and attitudes to reject violent, abusive relationships and to expect healthy, safe, equal relationships. The Lancet of 5 April 2008 stated:

Intimate partner violence is associated with serious public health consequences that should be addressed in national and global health policies and programs.

The safety of women and children is a real priority for the Iemma Labor Government. Programs such as this demonstrate our commitment to tackling domestic and family violence. Our area is enriched by Nancy Davis and WEEO WISER, and I commend them to the House.