A catalogue of the stolen generations of white children is overdue

Now that the Rudd government has formally apologised for Australia's theft of innocent Aboriginal children from their equally innocent Aboriginal parents, perhaps the lily-white members of the Rudd Government cabinet - I'm thinking of Jazzing Julia and wheedling Wayne - could turn their minds to formulating a second apology for the innocent white children stolen from parents innocent to the same degree as their Aboriginal counterparts.

In recent weeks the media has been full of cries of dismay from the public at the cases of shocking child neglect and abuse - in circumstances that have been allowed by the authorities to develop. For most people it is unimaginable that a parent could let her eighteen-month-old twins starve to death. When these poor babies were discovered dead in their cot after nine days they weighed hardly more than a newborn. How could any parent do this, how could no one have seen what was happening, how could nobody have had the courage and moral fortitude to intervene?

Anna Bligh, Premier of the Labor Government in Queensland, where this occurred said: "authorities could not have done anything: 'It's a timely reminder, I think, to reach out a helping hand to our neighbours.'"

If Premier Anna Bligh thinks nothing can be done, her Labor colleague in the South Australian State Governement, Premier Mike Rann, had another view:

Premier Mike Rann told the South Australian parliament that his government would remove children from their parents if it was in the best interests of the children.

"What has happened is a disgrace, a dysfunctional family, the children must be put first," he said.

"If I am advised that it is in the interests of those children to be taken away from a mother who does not know how to be a mother, then so be it - there will absolutely be no hesitation on this government's part to take away the children of someone who is unfit to be a parent.

"If that offends people, that is tough luck."

There you have it, a dilemma evidently hidden from Australia's dominant political class: either the state authorities let irresponsible parents go their way and kill their children, sometimes in a manner that is beyond the comprehension of most people (Anna Bligh's Labor Government choice), or you intervene and remove the children from the danger of their irresponsible parents and circumstances unimaginably squalid (Rann Labor Government choice).

If the state authorities choose the Rann Labor Government way, then while they are busy removing the children, they should appoint a department to make a catalogue of the children thus stolen and consult Prime Minister Rudd and Deputy Prime Minister Gillard about the apology for "stolen generations" that will have to be made some time in the future after grisly stories of the theft are told ad nauseam in the media.

Isn't it all so recognisable?

How could toddlers starve to death in suburbia?

comments: gerardwilson01@optusnet.com.au