The Western Australian government has announced an $85,000 compensation payment to Indigenous Australians who were forcibly removed from their families.

Premier Roger Cook revealed the "WA Stolen Generations Redress Scheme" a day after National Sorry Day, promising the payment to all living survivors of the policy that saw Aboriginal children taken from their families before 1 July 1972.

“Today, we take small steps towards righting a historic wrong,” Cook said. “The WA stolen generations redress scheme is a further step towards reconciliation and healing past roles. It acknowledges the stolen generations era represents a sorrowful and shameful part of our history and recognises it causes cycles of disadvantage and intergenerational trauma.”

While the gesture brings Western Australia in line with most other states, Queensland now stands alone in not having implemented a redress scheme. WA's payment is below the $100,000 offered in Victoria, but exceeds NSW’s $75,000 and significantly outpaces South Australia’s $30,000 and Tasmania’s tiered scheme.

Survivors of the Stolen Generations in Western Australia will be compensated through a state government redress scheme offering payments of up to $85,000 each

Premier Roger Cook called it a big step toward healing and reconciliation pic.twitter.com/ITQCyau5Ob

— Clown Down Under 🤡 (@clowndownunder) May 28, 2025

Cook admitted the payments are largely symbolic: “No amount of money could ever make up for the experience of stolen generations members and their families and the ongoing effects on people’s lives. These payments acknowledge an injustice. It does not correct what has happened but it does offer a path forward.”

Tony Hansen, an advocate for the scheme who says he was himself forcibly removed, supported the announcement, though his words highlighted the enduring trauma rather than the value of the payment.

“This has been a long time in the waiting. Our people have suffered. This is our shared history of this state,” Hansen said. “The evilness of what took place in this state has a ripple effect right across this country.”

Applications for the scheme opened this week, with payments expected in the second half of the year.

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