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=//__Stolen generation__//= By Stuart and Cassandra. Between 1910 and 1970 the Australian government stole up to 1,000,000 aboriginal children. Most were raised in churches or were fostered. They received education and were expected to become low class farmers. They were taken because people wanted to forget the aboriginal culture and get them to learn the White Mans way. Some were taken miles from their homes and some were taken overseas.

This was a official government policy in Australia until 1969. From the earliest days of European settlement, children were used as servants, guides and farm labor. The first native institute at Parramatta was set up in 1814 to civilise aboriginal children. The Aboriginal protection board was made and oversaw dislocation of the aboriginal people from their lands into reserves and stations. Aboriginal girls were sent to homes to learn domestic service, and the boys to work on farms.

In 1909, the Aboriginal Protection Board got legal sanction to take aboriginal children from the aborigines protection act. In 1915, the act gave the board power to remove any child without parental consent or court order. Almost every aboriginal family has been deeply affected in some way.

A national inquiry was set up in 1997, it was called, ‘Bringing them home.’ The campaign was set up for bringing the stolen aboriginals home to their own people and culture.

The report made 54 recommendations, and questions including opening of all records, family tracking and reunion groups to reunite children who were stolen. Unfortunatly the Australian Government is still refusing to apologize for the stealing. Some of the people that have been stolen have started to put legal actions against the government. In 2007, children are removed from their families if their parents are unable to look after them. If they're aborigines they are able to stay with their family.

Now in 2007, people think this act was very wrong and radical. Our opinion is that it was a big mistake even though people then thought they were helping the aboriginal children get a better life. Many victims find returning to their families emotionally difficult. Sometimes parents were taken as punishment, which meant a parent could be working at the same place their child was at. The board and managers could and did refuse visiting.