Senator Andrew Murray
Portfolio: Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
| Dated: 10 Dec 2004
Location: New Maritime Museum, Victoria Quay, Fremantle, WA
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Address for the Launch of a Memorial Dedicated to Former British and Maltese Child Migrants |
Minister, Consul-General, fellow politicians, former child migrants and honoured guests - thank you Minister for inviting me to be here and to speak today. I am glad that the Minister has mentioned each important organisation and individual by name, because they deserve our thanks for their efforts.
It is a real privilege to be here, its a special occasion for me, and Im especially pleased to be here amongst former child migrants, and their relatives and friends.
I am honoured to take part in such a momentous occasion to commemorate British and Maltese child migrants to Australia, because I can think of no more deserving occasion than this one to recognise and acknowledge the very important part played by child migrants in our nations history.
It is important that we honour child migrants.
Not only have child migrants made a huge contribution, not least to our armed forces, but many have made great sacrifices. Their hardships and place in our history deserve to be acknowledged.
This has personal significance for me too. I too am a former child migrant. Already in an institution in England, at the age of four I was shipped from Britain to Fairbridge in Southern Rhodesia.
That episode in my life was a motivating factor in my success in establishing the 2001 Senate Community Affairs References Committee inquiry into child migration.
I should add this would not have transpired had it not been for the support of the then leader of the Opposition, Mr Kim Beazley.
The inquiry report, Lost Innocents: Righting the Record did much to bring to light this hidden chapter of Australias history. For former child migrants themselves, it provided a much-needed forum for them to tell their stories and be believed. For academics, bureaucrats and concerned organisations, it conveyed a greater understanding of the child migrant schemes.
Child migrants arrived by ship here in Fremantle many decades ago. They were vulnerable children who had been given up or forcibly taken into institutional care due to broken families, poverty or illegitimacy.
It is a myth that most were orphans. The vast majority were not. Many were shipped here without parental consent, others with the promise of an exciting new life full of opportunities or of an adventurous holiday. Sadly, with rare exceptions, the reality awaiting them was often nasty.
For too many they found nothing but horrors awaiting them. Many others were okay, found their feet, and saw it all through.
For those who faced a depressingly common pattern of abuse and neglect, that treatment has profoundly impacted on them during their adult lives. A harmed child means a harmed adult.
The Lost Innocents Report documents how many were used as cheap labour, how many lost their identities, the many who were lied to about their families, the many who were demeaned as dregs and worse.
But human nature can overcome that. Many said sod that and were determined to show that they had real worth, character and ability.
Fortunately for others who were damaged, the love and compassion of other people brought a measure of healing.
We should also acknowledge those too who have been warriors for the former child migrants, organisations and individuals who deserve special recognition, such as the Child Migrant Trust.
Healing can only be furthered through the recognition that a public memorial can bring.
Todays notable event will have great significance for all child migrants. As one stated in his submission to the inquiry:
Most child migrants live with raging anger at the injustice of our experiences. Be decent. Acknowledge the past its part of Australian and British history.
And another wrote:
To have your history recognised is so important. We all grew up completely unrecognised even as an entity, as a self. Then we were told our histories do not exist either. Acknowledgement is very important.
In view of these statements, I really do congratulate the West Australian Labor Government for taking up recommendation 32 of Lost Innocents, which called for the erection of suitable memorials dedicated to former child migrants. The memorial is half-funded by the Federal government.
Thank you too to the WA Department for Community Development for the trouble taken to ensure that as many former child migrants were invited as was possible. Your efforts reveal concern and compassion for these people and will go some way to righting the record.
Should anyone wish to receive a copy of the child migrant report, just contact my office and we will post you a copy.
Thank you.
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